The Gil Irving Files: Cult of Martel
by Canada Cowboy
Summary: Modern, AU. With a new unit, new officers, Captain Noishe, and his friends, Gil embarks on his first case since returning to Iselia Police. However, events here remind him of a cold case he did prior to being a mole, giving him more than he bargains for.
1. New Year, New Unit, Old Case?

That's right, it's another Gil Irving case. Get ready for more mystery, suspense, and crazy humour as Gil tackles another strange investigation, this time with a new police unit and wackier investigative techniques. As well, there are people from TOS canon and TOTD that we didn't touch on too much appearing here, along with several OC's of other writers serving as officers in Gil's unit. Get ready for this wild ride!

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. **Mandrakefunnyjuice** owns Robert (Bob) Ross. **Poet Bucky** owns Cabalina and Fil Ashton. **Fenrir of the Shadows **owns Azul Kharlan.

* * *

"Happy birthday Lloyd!" a group of people exclaimed as a blindfold was peeled off of the spiky-haired teen's face. Lloyd's eyes soaked in the sight as his friends were all seated before him, several presents and a large birthday cake front and centre on the dining room table. The contagious smiles on all their faces couldn't help but bring one onto Lloyd's own as he took a seat at the table's end, admiring the fantastic sight.

"Wow, you guys, that's amazing. I don't know what to say," Lloyd responded, stuttering in shock. It was the first time since his sixth birthday where he had everyone around. All the years in between, there were rarely, if ever large-scale celebrations like this mainly because of his father's undercover work. Now, to see his father bring all his close friends together for this birthday, the one to mark the beginning of his final high school year, it truly meant something to him. "Thank you so much, seriously."

"Why don't you open some presents first?" Colette suggested cheerfully. Lloyd looked into her eyes and smiled, knowing that she must have put a lot of heart into her choice, given the way they wanted to push their blossoming relationship forward.

"Alright, let's see what you gave me?" Lloyd replied, taking the small box with Colette's name on it. It was wrapped in pink paper with a yellow knot on top. Lloyd had a goofy smile on his face, his eyes alternating between Colette and the box as he pulled on the string, curious like a child in finding out what was inside.

The crowd inched forward as Lloyd reached into the box, his tentacle-like digits wrapping around a small, furry object. Lloyd's brows furrowed anxiously as he brought it out in one flourish motion. When it reached daylight, Lloyd couldn't help but beam. "Colette, where did you find such a neat figure?" he asked, showing the stuffed animal.

Colette smiled sheepishly. "I got it over the net," she explained, showing Lloyd a description she printed from the website, "Flanoir sells these snow hares that are almost like a lucky charm to those who carry them. I thought, with this being our last year, we ought to get them, so I ordered them the day we got back from our trip. A couple of weeks later and here they are." She stuck her hand into her pants pocket and pulled out one identical to Lloyd's. "There's one for me as well, so now we're really a pair."

Lloyd's hand crept up to his mouth, covering the lower half of his face as he swelled with emotion. Colette truly wanted this to prove their bond, and there was no way he would forget this. "Thanks Colette, I'm truly touched," he responded. The two leaned forward and pulled each other into a tight embrace.

"Hey, you've got to unwrap my present next," Genis called excitedly as Lloyd and Colette released each other. The young half-elf shoved a small silver box into Lloyd, pointing eagerly at it. "There's a surprise inside, make sure you see it."

Lloyd chuckled, taking the box into his arms. "What's so special about this?" he asked as Genis, just like Colette, stuffed a hand into his pocket.

Lloyd finally opened the box, and it was a brand new digital camera, with all the latest accessories for taking action and stills, far and near shots. Lloyd toyed with the piece of technology in his hands. "Thank you, this is really nice. I didn't expect you to be technological, since you're so into mana spells. What gave you this idea?" he asked.

Genis revealed an object from his pocket. "Grandma expanded our cell phone plan and got me a new cell phone. It's got text messaging, web browsing, and a camera too," he described, typing on the keypad, "But while I was checking it out, I decided to get you a camera. I even tested out both cameras, and I have pictures of the same object. Let's see which one looks better to you." Genis pointed to an envelope in the box.

Lloyd pulled out the envelope. It wasn't even sealed shut, and Lloyd pulled out the contents with relative ease. However, the two photographs inside made him cringe out of surprise but also of déjà vu. There was a dark, shadowy circular object front and centre on each one, and it didn't take Lloyd too long to figure out what it was. "Genis, it's your belly button," he uttered apprehensively, "Any reason why you chose that?"

Genis lifted his shirt, exposing the bowl-shaped depression to everyone. "You can't have a birthday without mentioning your first birthmark," he retorted defiantly, sticking a finger into the hold-like item and wiggling it a few times.

The crowd chuckled, laughing at Genis' action. Just then, Gil clapped his hands and returned their attention back to the table. "We still have a cake to cut," he told everyone, "Let's try and eat it before the wax melt onto the frosting, shall we?"

The crowd cheered as Lloyd leaned forward and blew out the candles to his cake. Gil pulled out a knife for his son as the teen sliced into the layers, serving each person a piece before grabbing one for himself. They all laughed and joked, enjoying this final weekend before school and work resumed. After a summer filled with adventure and suspense, they were all back into the working mindset, ready for a truly normal year.

By the time they all had their fills, darkness completely descended upon the neighbourhood. Lloyd was about to lead the guests out when Gil barged in, phone still in hand. "Lloyd, there's actually one more present for you, and it's just been delivered to our house," he announced, "When you lead the guests out, please open the garage door."

Lloyd cocked his eyebrow as he led the guests to the door leading to the garage. The dark silhouette of Gil's Audi V8 loomed in the same spot it had been in for years. Gil had not changed his car for a decade, after having bought this silver vehicle over a decade ago. Now, the A8 had replaced the V8, and Gil might just be the last man in Iselia to drive this car, yet he still refused to exchange it. But knowing the memories present in that car, including those from his undercover work, Lloyd could see how it was justified.

Nevertheless, Lloyd obeyed his father and slapped the switch. The garage door steadily creaked open, slowly revealing a set of wheels on the ground. The headlights were next, followed by the hood, the windshield, and the roof. Lloyd covered his mouth in awe. "Dad, are you serious?" he gasped, the other hand on his forehead.

Gil nodded, leaning on his crutches and grinning at his son. "Forcystus blew up your last car when he wanted to demonstrate the power of ancient mana, so I thought I'd get you a new one with that tax-free bonus I earned as a mole," he answered, gesturing at the new MINI Cooper on the driveway, "In case you're wondering, it is a hybrid. I heard from Colette and Genis that you wanted something that saves gas, so here it is."

Lloyd was overcome with emotion, stuttering and choking on his words. "Wow, what can I say?" he blubbered, tears forming on the corner of his eyes, "This is simply amazing, thank you so much, Dad!" he exclaimed, giving Gil a hug.

Gil adjusted his crutches and wrapped his arms around Lloyd as well. "But you have to promise me, alright?" he replied, whispering into Lloyd's ear, "Promise me you will turn it around this year, and get yourself into a university or college, got it?"

"I'll do everything I can, Dad," Lloyd murmured, still holding onto his father, with the group soaking in the touching scene, "I'll do everything I can."

* * *

"Alright class, take your seats. I'm glad you all had fun over the summer break, but let's focus on our studies again," a short lady with curly, auburn hair and glasses called to the students assembling in the room. Colette and Lloyd marched in together, with the blonde guiding them to two seats close to the front and adjacent to each other. Normally, social studies was a class Lloyd Irving dreaded. But ever since he found out about events from the Reunification onward, he developed quite an interest in it. It didn't hurt that the leader of the Reunification group was also his namesake. Add on the renewed attitude to do better academically, and Lloyd was truly reborn.

Lloyd and Colette directed their attention to the teacher as she introduced a new student. "She's recently switched schools, and will be attending grade twelve this year. She will be taking social studies with us. Please give a welcome to Chocolat."

The class looked on as a teenager with features nearly identical to her name stood before them. She had chocolate-brown eyes, similarly coloured shoulder-length hair, and wore matching yellow-brown sports jacket and track pants. She observed the class with a neutral expression, her pose timid. However, to those sitting at the front, like Lloyd and Colette, there was also something about her showing a stronger, firmer side, telling the class that anyone who dared to question her might get a more passionate response.

"Chocolat, please take a seat. There's one just behind the front row," the teacher instructed the new student, motioning just behind Lloyd and Colette. "Now, let me take attendance first, and then I'll move on to discussing our first project."

The class groaned, frustrated that they might be hit with a project on their first day of classes. The teacher ignored the mumblings and moved to the front table. Lifting a folder off the desk, she flipped to the front page and called out names. "First on my list, Colette Brunel?"

"Present," Colette called, waving her hand. As the teacher moved on to other names, the blonde turned around and tried to know the new student a bit better, greeting her with a big smile and asking, "So where were you before coming here?"

Chocolat shied away, refusing to look at Colette. She slouched over on her desk, her head at level with the notebook she brought out seconds earlier. "I transferred here from another school," she muttered, avoiding eye contact and keeping her volume low.

"What was your old school like? Did you enjoy there?" Colette continued asking, leaning her head closer even as the teacher continued the roll call, "Lloyd and I have been going to school together since grade one, and we really enjoy the places we went."

"I just don't want to talk about that, so could you knock it off?" Chocolat snapped at Colette, whipping her head up at her. Brown pools of frustration pierced through the blonde as the new student glared forward, "It's none of your business anyway."

"Lloyd Irving?" the teacher called, lifting her head up. Her eyes scanned right in the direction of the teenage couple, causing Lloyd and Colette to turn back to the front. Behind them, Chocolat continued to sulk and ignore everyone surrounding her.

"I'm here," Lloyd replied, raising his hand. The teacher marked a check next to his name, and soldiered on. When her attention was back to the list, Lloyd turned back and this time, it was him who shot daggers at Chocolat. "You didn't have to raise your voice at Colette. She was just curious, you know!" Lloyd whispered harshly.

Chocolat returned the stare before abruptly burying her face in her arms. Lloyd could only look on in confusion and irritation as the new student became increasingly disagreeable to them. And as they continued to observe Chocolat's every move, they didn't even notice the teacher put away the attendance list. "Alright, so just to start our new grade off, I want to have the class get into groups to do a project on a topic from last year, but try approaching it from a different perspective."

She picked up a felt pen and scribbled on the white board, prompting the class to mimic her. Papers being taken out of binders sounded like leaves rustling as the teacher explained, "As we all know, different perspectives lead to different biases. While you learned one set of ideas in grade eleven, they may be challenged or changed in grade twelve, or when in university, if you pursue it that far. This is the theory of knowledge, and to test our theory of knowledge, I'll group the class into groups of two or three people to take a subject learned last year, and apply a new dimension to it. Since this is your first project, I'm grouping you based on a topic of your choosing, is that fair?"

* * *

While Lloyd was getting introduced to his new class, Gil was back at the police station meeting his new staff. Despite still being in a cast, he insisted that he be present for the introduction to the new unit, and wanted to meet each and every single person. As the officers filed into the conference room, Noishe and Gil observed them from the Major Crimes captain's office. "You think you can work well with these guys?" Noishe asked.

Gil smiled. It was so much like his superior, the legendary Protozoan that finally evolved into its final stage, to worry about working well. Aside from the late police chief Marshall, Noishe was the only person to know of Gil's identity as a mole. While the chief was a mentor-like figure, Noishe had been the worrywart best friend, always encouraging but saying and doing things that showed more concern than was originally needed. But still, without Noishe, Gil probably wouldn't get through all his missions. "Once you're done with the announcements, we'll see what happens then," he replied, "Shall we?"

Noishe led the way, exiting his doors in a flourish. He held it open for Gil to clop through on his crutches, and just in time for him to see a familiar face. While Noishe went straight to the conference room, a short young woman with pink hair and still eyes approached. Unlike when they first met, this time she had a smile on her face. "Officer Combatir, I never knew you'd be assigned to this unit," Gil greeted the new officer.

Presea smiled back, happy to see the person who would be in charge. A month ago, the two were on opposite sides of the law, Gil being the undercover cop while Presea was the one Cruxis sent into the police with a Cruxis Crystal. Now, with her completely healed and internal affairs clearing her of wrongdoing, she was prepared to make a brand new start. "It's something new for me, I guess," she responded meekly, "I wanted some time away from SIU, after all the terrible things I did behind their backs there. Since you have a new unit involving plain-clothes, and I have some experience in that, I thought I should apply for it. Lo and behold, I'm here, and I'm ready to take on anything."

"Well, it's great to have you on our side again," Gil replied happily, placing a hand on her shoulder. The two slowly moved into the conference room, where Noishe and the other officers waited patiently for them. Presea calmly took a seat at the large table while Gil stood at the front, slightly behind Noishe.

Seeing the crowd was quiet, the former Protozoan introduced the unit. "My name is Arthur Noishe and I'm the captain of this new unit. Recent events with gangs and other difficult cases made it impossible for regular, uniformed police officers to deal with. My usual unit, Major Crimes, deals with any large-scale crimes, and my co-administrator, Captain Eric Burton's unit, SIU, deals with crimes of an irregular nature. But there isn't one unit or team that coordinates both sides and incorporates both the investigative and the special skills together. That's why two years ago Captain Burton and I collaborated on designing this new team, and went to the city with a proposal. This is the result."

Noishe gestured at the people seated before him. There were three people so far, but each had something about them that showed how unique this small but supposedly effective team would be. "I thought we should have an 'icebreaker' activity just to know each other a bit better," Noishe suggested, "Let's go around the table in order and have each person tell us a bit about themselves. Let's start here." Noishe pointed at an officer seated on the right side.

Gil followed Noishe's finger, which pointed at Presea. The petite officer cleared her throat and began. "My name's Presea Combatir, and I was with SIU earlier. I was actually directly involved with the Cruxis case, but now that I'm here, I'm going to do everything in my power to help this unit work. I believe that roles like moles, such as the ones I played when I was still with SIU, shouldn't be seen as a negative, but as an asset in solving irregular crimes, and I'm more than willing to contribute my part. Thank you."

Noishe nodded, satisfied with Presea's determination. To Gil, it seemed like Presea was intent on using this unit as her way of repaying the police for her actions. It might be a strange way to redeem herself, but knowing her expertise in communication technologies and undercover tactics, Gil was more than willing to have her on the team. Just as he thought about this, Noishe pointed to the next officer. "Let's hear from you."

Gil's eyes landed on an elf seated behind Presea. He seemed so young, but Gil guessed that it was likely because of an elf's natural longevity, as he heard that some elves could live to five hundred. The elf slowly tilted his head at the front, his unruly red-brown hair waving slightly across his face and nearly covered one eye. The uncovered eye was a strange ocean-blue colour, conveying an unusual combination of his youth and his experience. One look at his moderately, but not imposing, muscular build and his slightly freckled face and forearms and Gil immediately recognized him. He was in the honour guard during Marshall's funeral, he thought, he was among those who fired the salute shots.

Just then, the elf spoke in a clear voice. "My name is Azul Kharlan and I'm from Heimdall. My parents were both in the police force over there, and I actually served in the Heimdall force for a few decades before moving. Yes, I am over a hundred, nearing a hundred thirty to be exact, but that's around twenty five in human years," he explained, "I hope to bring experience in working with other races to the unit, as I've seen firsthand the isolationist-reformist rivalry that nearly tore Heimdall apart. I hope to incorporate all races in law enforcement, and have their support from the community."

Noishe nodded. "Again, we couldn't stress enough, community involvement is very important to all police units. So to have Officer Kharlan with us, bringing his wide range of experience in dealing with race relations, I think that's really important," he agreed, affirming Azul's point, "And let's move on, shall we? Next person," Noishe stated, going across the table.

This time, it was a female officer with hazel eyes and brown hair tied into a ponytail. She had on a bust of determination and enthusiasm as she rushed to showcase herself. "My name is Cabalina Ashton, although my family usually calls me Lin. When I was a cadet, I strived at being a sharpshooter, and usually like going to the shooting range for target practice. I have experience in several firearms, and I'm willing to demonstrate to you what they're like," she described, staunchly sticking to her favourite topic, "Other than that, I hope to bring more flare to our unit, and give us the recognition we deserve."

Gil cocked an eyebrow at the trigger happy officer, his eyes trying to side stare into Noishe, who did his best to contain either a sigh of exasperation or a laugh in seeing her unorthodox introduction. "Well, it's good to have those striving for the best here," Noishe half-snorted, "I'm sure we'll find that enthusiasm really handy in the future."

The other two officers stared at Cabalina, not sure what to make of her. Azul's arms were crossed across his developing pectoral muscles while Presea cupped her chin, letting a couple of fingers line across her mouth. I'd prefer it if she saves some of her enthusiasm for the cases rather than spending her energy yakking about her guns, she thought to herself, wondering how this overly outgoing colleague would match with her.

"Well, I think that's pretty good for everyone, but somehow I think we're missing someone," Noishe concluded, rubbing his hands together. Gil looked on with interest as the police captain picked up a folder on the table, flipping through each profile. Whoever this missing person was, they were intent of finding out about this unexcused absence.

Noishe finally stopped at the final page, where a picture of a familiar looking man stared back at them. The information stated that he was thirty years old, of relatively good standing in the academy, but his track record in the force was less than spectacular. In fact, had it not been for the first two years in Major Crimes, Gil was surprised that he stuck around for eight years in the force. "Does anyone know where Robert Ross is?" Noishe asked, looking up at the rest of the unit, who stared back at him in bewilderment.

The silence was shattered when the door burst open, revealing a man resembling anything but an elite police officer. He had unruly brown curly hair and wore in a plaid shirt with only its left side tucked in. Matching that were a puffy vest, tattered blue jeans, and brown hiking shoes that made him seem more like a fisherman. One look at the pot-belly and the five o'clock shadow on his face and Gil was truly disgusted. Scrunching up his face, he asked, "Are you Robert Ross?"

"Yes, that's me. Nice to meet you," the stranger replied, sticking out his hand. Gil and Noishe immediately leaned back, pointing at the sticky substance still stuck on his hand. "Oh, this is frosting from the donut I had earlier. Forgot to clean it, silly me, just give me a moment," Robert stated. He then prompted to lifting his hand to his face and licked each finger one by one. From the table, the other officers stared in horror.

"Well, Officer Ross, this is your new unit, and they are your new colleagues." Noishe gestured to the other officers, all of whom lifted hands, arms, and even jackets to shield themselves from the revolting sight before them. Seeing the situation, Noishe tried to change the subject. "Why don't you tell them a bit about yourself?"

"Well, I've never been offered the spotlight before, so thanks," Robert answered, albeit somewhat sarcastically. He leaned his chubby frame in front of Gil and Noishe, screening the two superior officers as he blasted his autobiography to the crowd, "I've been in the force for eight years, most of them in the Major Crimes Unit with Captain Arthur Noishe. I consider myself the guy bringing the donuts, and if the others aren't done with them completely, I become the guy mopping up the box. I also like to tell jokes over the police radios, especially when I'm not in a police chase. And lastly, I'm a pro when it comes to pranking rookies. So if you're a rookie, then watch out!"

Noishe glanced at the others, who had their eyebrows twitching. Beside him, he could hear Gil's breathing intensify as the former mole tried everything in his power to keep his cool. "Robert, were you perhaps stuck in traffic today, causing you to be late?" Noishe asked in a friendly tone, trying to avoid a fistfight on the unit's inaugural day.

"Come on, Captain! You know you don't have to be that formal with me. Next time, just Bob is fine," Robert replied, slapping Noishe's shoulder hard. The former Protozoan staggered forward as the professional slacker told the audience, "My dog was feeling ill last night, and I had to accompany it to the vet this morning. One thing led to another, and in the midst of all that I remembered I had to come. I wanted to buy you donuts too, but I guessed I ate them all before I got here. So, I'm glad I made it on time, but I have to go now. Sorry to be a ditcher and I promise I'll stay longer next time. Bye!"

And just as unexpectedly as he came in, Robert Ross blew out the room, leaving the door wide open with only the ventilation circling the air being felt in the room. The other officers looked on, not sure what to say as Noishe slowly tilted his head back and forth between the door and the table. "Well, any questions?" he said with a weak smile.

* * *

"In our tutorial section, we will run a simulation activity where the most basic theories of analysis are used to discuss the overall history of the Reunification and the following years," Raine explained, glancing at the class of mostly freshmen before her. The eager undergraduates stared back with a mixed bag of expressions, hoping to know their TA's expectations better, especially knowing Raine's enthusiasm could go wild.

Raine picked up the class roster for this tutorial section. As the course's head TA, she administered tutorial assignments and processed all grades for Frank. She was keen on leading by example and making this simulation exercise as successful as possible, at least in the sections that she was in charge of. "Class attendance is an expectation, as you should discuss the issues with your classmates," she told everyone sternly, "I will take attendance every week, and any absences will be noted and discussed with Frank."

Raine grabbed the file folder and flipped to the front page. Glancing at the class roster, she listed off the first name. "First person is Fil Ashton. Are you here?"

"I'm here!" A lanky arm shot up from the centre. Raine looked up to see a young man with brown, mane-like hair staring back at her. There was a mischievous twinkle in his dark brown eyes, almost like inside this university freshman was a fun-loving child.

The energetic look put a smile on Raine's face as she checked off his name. In an attempt to make the atmosphere friendlier, she asked, "Are you a history major? Do you have any experience in observing and analyzing historical events like this?"

"No, I'm a veterinary science major, to be exact. I only took this course because I wanted a social science option," he stated sheepishly, feeling worrisome of what his TA, who was overly passionate about history, would think, "But I have a good reason, though. I feel that as a veterinary science major, I already have a basic grasp at being observant. I know it sounds weird, but watching animal health and using that to diagnose symptoms requires good analytical skills. And I hope I can apply these skills in a different setting."

Raine mulled Fil's words over. She never thought about critical history analysis outside of history and archaeology. True, she did some critical analysis when she helped Gil's undercover work, and did apply observational skills in the Altamira cases, but she never expanded her horizon into an entirely different field like veterinary science. Even so, she kept an open mind, and accepted this intriguing student. "I'm glad to see people apply the knowledge in such wide ranges, so good on you," she complimented Fil.

With a slight smile on his face, Fil looked around awkwardly, realizing that he inadvertently made himself the centre of attention. He could see Raine turn her attention back to her folder and call out the next name. "Kate Aubrey?"

From the back of the room, a young lady with aquamarine hair and wearing round glasses stuck up her hand. She was a total contrast to Fil. The young man was energetic and eager to learn, but she was meek and quiet, trying to keep to herself. She huddled her shoulders and half-buried her head in her notes, hoping Raine wouldn't notice.

But the silver-haired half-elf wasn't about to be denied. Asking her the same question as she did with Fil, Raine probed the student from the front. "What do you expect to get from this course?" Her eyes aimed straight at the back corner, intent on breaking Kate out of her self-created shell.

Kate held her ground, refusing to look too far out and staying relatively protected in her corner. "I'm just interested in our past, a bit of history here and there, that's all," she replied timidly, her volume barely loud enough to break through the ventilation fan.

Raine frowned, unsatisfied with the response. For a supposed history fan, Kate was being awfully hard to reach out to. Trying a different approach, she reached into her mana instincts and gauged the green-haired student. Even with little mana using experience, it was a natural ability of elves and half-elves to be able to detect a person's mana structure, and a quick scan through Kate's revealed that she was, like Raine and a few others in the room, a half-elf. Capitalizing on this, she decided to press forward.

"There's no shame in trying to know more of our past, since so much of that hinges on how people relate to one another," Raine began slowly, her eyes never leaving Kate, "For example, I, along with several others in our class, am a half-elf. I'm really into how this supposedly shunned race, deemed inferior by its ancestors and a threat even past Reunification, managed to work its way up to respectability. I'm sure this is something everyone, including you, find worthy of studying, correct?" she asked.

The initiative had the opposite effect, as Kate withdrew deeper into her clothing and notebook. "Oh believe me, if you only knew," the students closest to her could hear her mutter. Kate refused to even look around, causing many around her to cock their eyebrows, giving confused yet irritated looks at the disagreeable half-elf. How could anyone in the class open discussions with a ridiculous being like this?

But Raine chose to get back in character and be an astute observer. She focused back onto the sheet and checking Kate's name off, all the while mulling over the last few words uttered by the half-elf student. It wasn't unusual to see half-elves being more subdued and restraining themselves in class discussion, but to see someone completely withdrawn like that was downright odd. I better keep an eye on her, Raine thought. With that, she returned to the task at hand and listed off another name.

* * *

"Tell me again, why are we stuck with her?" Lloyd demanded as he trudged to the school parking lot with Colette. It was a rather interesting first day, with many new topics in their grade twelve courses. Lloyd approached all with a renewed interest, hoping to follow through on his word to do well enough in them to propel him into university. In his mind, this was the only way to show his father his gratitude and repay him for all the things he did the last decade, both as a mole and as an absent parent.

But it was the social studies class that truly cut Lloyd's legs from under him. After the class submitted their topics of interest, the teacher grouped them according to their choices. Lloyd and Colette both wrote down their number one choice as the role of the Chosen after Reunification, and unfortunately the person with the closest topic was Chocolat, who picked the attempts to reform the Church of Martel as her theme. Seeing how Chocolat was pretty much by herself, the teacher decided to put the three in one group, having them do a combined project. "I specifically asked for groups of two or three, not going solo," she ordered, "This way, nobody is at a disadvantage."

And so went the rest of the day, with Chocolat hounding them throughout lunch hour and just before Lloyd departed. Chocolat caught him at his locker, and reminded him and Colette again to do their part in the project, scrutinizing them nonstop. "I want nothing short of an A, so if you guys slack off, you're going to get it!" she threatened.

"How does anyone get that disagreeable?" Lloyd groaned as he unlocked his new hybrid MINI Cooper, "We barely got to know her and she's already needling us with how we're going to mess things up. Talk about starting off on the wrong foot!"

Colette shrugged, keeping a smile stretched across her face. "Look on the bright side," she suggested, giving her boyfriend's shoulder a pat, "With her determined outlook, it might just give us more incentive to work harder. She's probably going to make sure that she does her part, so that means we'll have to do ours just to catch up."

Lloyd was about to respond when a familiar voice interrupted them. "Hey, if it isn't the mystery hunters from Altamira, fancy seeing you guys here!"

Lloyd and Colette turned around to see a short, teenage girl behind them. She had brown, somewhat spiky hair, wore a dark green tank top, dark shorts ending at her knees, and a blue bandana on her neck. One look at her smile and they recognized her instantly. "You're that horse rider we met in Altamira," Lloyd exclaimed, "So you live in Iselia?"

The teenager shrugged. "I moved here last week, and I'm now living near the northern outskirts of town," she explained, "I have a barn in my place, and in case you're wondering, my wonderful quarter horse Indy is living with me. Indy, my family, and I are still just getting used to our surroundings, so feel free to drop by if you have the time."

"That's close to where we are, since we're pretty much in the north edge of the city," Colette replied. While Iselia did grow throughout history, most of the expansion was due west and east. The southern edge of the city neared a desert, where access to basic necessities was unviable, while the north was a preserved forest due to its historical significance to the Reunification hero, Lloyd's namesake. Therefore, the community that Lloyd and Colette lived in had been near the outskirts of the city for as long as they remembered, with very little expansion around them. "Of course we'll come by. I'm sure Genis would love to as well, since he seemed to get along with your horse."

And just as his name was mentioned, Genis came into view. Upon seeing his horse rider friend standing with Lloyd and Colette, he immediately bounded over. "How's it going, belly button fanatic? So you're attending this school now?" he shouted.

The girl smiled and nodded, happy to see her biggest fan again. "Yup, looks like we'll be seeing a lot of each other from now. Put her there, belly button boy!"

The two slapped hands, happily greeting each other. "So you're in what, grade eight now?" the rider asked, "I heard you're an honour roll student, so how did you find your courses? And how's your belly button taking to being covered all day, now you're back in school with a dress code?" she asked, a finger shooting forward for Genis' gut.

Genis tucked his stomach in at the last second, causing the hand to fall just short. "I'm good, most of my courses seem pretty easy, but I'm in no hurry to skip a grade. It's been offered to me before, but I wanted to keep going like this, just to let me enjoy things while they last. Besides, I get to meet and hang out with fantastic people like Lloyd, Colette, and you. What grade are you attending this year, and how well did you clean your belly button?" Genis retorted, as it was his turn to jab out a finger at his companion.

This time, the girl sidestepped the attack, leaning dangerously close to Colette, who nearly tripped over and dropped all her books on the ground. Meanwhile, Lloyd could only shake his head as he opened the MINI Cooper doors. "I'll give you guys a ride home, if you want," he offered, "That also includes you." He pointed at the horse rider.

The rider nodded, pulling her backpack up and entering the small car. "My name is Bucky, by the way. I'm in grade eleven this year, so one grade below you and Colette, and three above Genis," she described, scooting to the right behind the passenger seat where Colette was. Genis then took the left back seat, directly behind the driver.

Lloyd turned the ignition, causing the MINI Cooper to hum to life. Unlike his old car, this hybrid vehicle was much quieter, making the ride more enjoyable for everyone. "Just a warning," Lloyd cautioned, turning back to face his passengers, "I'm still getting used to this vehicle, so please don't disturb me too much, and that means no poking belly buttons from you both in the back. Got it?" he glared at the two fanatics.

Genis and Bucky glanced at each other, defiant and mischievous looks on their faces as Lloyd pulled the car out of the parking lot. Genis and Bucky then proceeded to inch the hands in the centre closer to each other, all the while snaking the hands near the car doors under their shirts and onto their abdomens. They both placed a finger into their respective belly buttons; Genis with the deep crater while Bucky had a shallower one, guarding them defensively as they eyed each other for the best time to strike.

* * *

"Tell me why I'm stuck with him," Gil groaned in frustration as he flopped onto a chair at Noishe's office. His first day as staff sergeant didn't go as well as he hoped for, especially with Robert Ross showing up and then giving everyone attitude. Now that all the officers had gone home, he hoped to settle this issue with Noishe.

"Be more positive, Gil. It's not all bad," Noishe responded sympathetically, "I had him in my unit for six years, so you tell me how I felt seeing his degradation."

Gil lifted an eyelid lazily, eyeing Noishe suspiciously. "What do you mean by degradation? Was he actually a star cadet, if so then in which lifetime?" he asked.

Noishe smiled. "He was actually a cadet in the academy just after he moved to Iselia, graduating in excellent standing at age twenty-two. He was born in Meltokio and grew up in Luin, but didn't gain a passion for law enforcement until eighteen. Originally, we hired him for Major Crimes because of his great academic standing, and we saw him as the perfect replacement for you after you became a mole two years before his arrival," the captain explained, "And when he was first here, he was really impressive."

Gil chuckled. He had always wondered about his position in Major Crimes ever since he left. To hear that another star cadet like him was hired, he was truly honoured by the treatment. But that only intrigued him more, as Gil wondered how this so-called rookie of the year became a first round bust. "So what happened next?" he inquired.

Noishe shrugged. "I can't say for sure, but I think it was a combination of factors that did it," he replied, his face stoic in deep thought, "There was too much pressure for him to replace you, and tie that with having cases that he couldn't solve, he just took it really hard. He started slacking off, and his colleagues lost patience. I got so many complaints about him over the next six years that I finally got rid of him two years ago."

"But he's still here though," Gil responded, cupping his chin. The room was silent as the two veteran policemen conveyed on this issue. "So obviously you had a change of heart, or he's got enough connections in high places to keep him alive. And given that you waited six years before booting him, I say you have some hope for him too, right?"

Noishe nodded. "Call me stubborn, but I really felt he could be a good cop again," he explained, flipping through Robert's personal file, "I know with the right influence, we can make it work again. That's why when they sent him back to me, and when you agreed to be the staff sergeant, I really wanted to give him another chance. After all, you are his predecessor in Major Crimes, so I'm sure letting his idol inspire him might work."

Gil couldn't help but chuckle at the twinkle in Noishe's eye. It reminded him of the days when Gil was still undercover, wanting to give in and get out of the business altogether. But Noishe insisted that he stayed, telling him every time who he fought for, and why he had to fight. With only Anna and Lloyd on his mind, Gil persevered through the years, advanced their causes and conquered Cruxis. And now, with another challenge at hand, also involving Noishe, Gil just couldn't say no. "I'll say what I can do to get Bob more proactive in our cases. Speaking of which, do we have one?" he asked.

Noishe closed Robert's file folder and opened a new one. "This is what I call a 'semi-cold' case, linking to a past investigation but we believe it's still operational, but just not in the same context as before. You do recall about ten years back, Triet police asked us for help in cracking a swindling and embezzlement operation, right?" he asked.

Gil's hand covered the lower half of his face, his fingers scratching against the famous goatee as he mulled the details over. "It was that one involving the guy who thought he was some fortune teller, right? And that he could help small businesses make fortunes with his so-called divine and heavenly skills?" he recalled, his eyes clamped shut in thought. It was the last case he followed before going undercover. Even as he wasn't actively involved, he tried to keep up to date with it as often as possible.

Noishe nodded. "We were about break through when Cruxis murdered your wife, diverting our attention away from there. With you undercover, we didn't pay much attention to it again. But two years later, when a larger operation involving several gangs surfaced, we went back to Triet with Robert Ross as your replacement," he explained.

"And he didn't get it done either, and the gang goes free again," Gil concluded, "So now you believe they've surfaced in Iselia, and we should follow up on them?"

Noishe showed Gil the file, flipping it across the desk to let the man on crutches get a better look. "We believe they also made lucrative deals with drugs, especially those that influence the mind, like amphetamine. And with recent disappearances of teenage girls, only to reappear before their parents dazed and moody, it seemed like prostitution may be involved too." Noishe leaned back on his chair, clasping his hands in thought, "I know you have to get your cast removed tomorrow, so I can take the morning briefing and lead the team to a supposed hideout later on. Would you please join us?"

* * *

"So this is the building, and like I said in the briefing this morning, it is rather old and run-down," Noishe explained as the team assembled across the street in one of the city's oldest neighbourhoods. As per the plan, Noishe was intent on entering the Beltline area, just south of the downtown core, to scour for suspicious gathering places. This old concrete building, with cracks on the side and a few boarded up windows, had been identified as an area of interest, and that was why Noishe brought the team down here.

"Presea, take the front entrance and work up each floor, making sure each room on your side is covered. Cabalina, do the same thing with the back side. Azul, look at the surrounding areas for escape routes or hiding places where loot or people may have been in. I'll interview the neighbouring businesses to see if they've noticed anything in the last few days," Noishe instructed, listing off the tasks one by one, "Let's get moving."

As the team split up, Noishe approached the first business nonchalantly. With his hands in his pockets, he casually picked up a magazine from the shelf, taking quick peeks at the store manager, who was too busy attending to some customers to notice him. The former Protozoan was about to turn into the store when his cell phone rang, the shrill call echoing through the store. Dropping the magazine, Noishe whipped the phone from his pocket, eyeing the caller ID and greeted the caller. "Hello, Gil? What's going on?"

"Captain Noishe, they just removed my cast but ended up putting me in a leg brace. I'm on my way to you as quickly as I can. How are things on your end?" Gil asked.

"I'm with the team scouring the neighbourhood, but you know who didn't show up again," Noishe responded, looking around the block, "When can you…"

Noishe's voice trailed off, leaving Gil demanding answers on the other side as the police captain edged away from the bookstore and towards the building of interest. There was a chubby figure wandering around the block, and it took Noishe mere seconds to recognize the individual as Robert Ross. "Speak of the devil, he just showed up. Gil, can I call you back?" he slapped the phone shut and hurried his way down the street.

Robert turned just in time and saw Noishe. "Captain, I went to the unit and saw no one. The secretary said you'd be here, so I thought I'd help out," he informed Noishe, "Are they upstairs? Let me take a look," he offered, ready to step through the door.

Linebacker Noishe lunged for the quarterback Robert, clinging onto him and refusing to let him proceed even an inch. "Don't blow it! They're covering the surrounding areas for clues, and those guys upstairs will suspect something if they know we're police. Just lay low and interview people with me for now!" he hissed.

But Robert wriggled free from the former Protozoan's grasp, pulling open the metal gate and stepping into the dark stairwell. "Relax, I've been around the force for a little while, so how could they possibly know my cover?" he replied, his voice echoing through the tunnel-like stairway. Noishe could only look on as Robert became engulfed by the darkness, hoping every second that he didn't do something to mess this up.

Robert trudged up the stairs, humming in a relaxed tone and glancing around the walls indifferently. There were doors near and around him, going down each dark abyss hallway. Apart from his footsteps, the only sound emanating was the dripping from leaky pipes. Just then, he heard two voices coming towards him. He lifted his head and saw two men in their early thirties approach. They were about to go down the stairs when they saw Robert, halting completely and eyeing him suspiciously. Trying to strike up a conversation, Robert struck a pose and smiled. "Peace," he greeted, sticking up two fingers.

The two chuckled as Robert grinned along. "There's great stuff in that hallway," one man said, pointing to Robert's right, "Room three-oh-eight, just say Bosco sent you,"

"And when you're there, make sure you ask for the youngest one. I swear, she's the bomb!" the other man giggled, slapping Robert's shoulder as they headed down.

Robert smiled and nodded, following their directions into the room of interest. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door, waiting patiently before it opened with a creaking sound, revealing a young man with dark hair spiked into a semi-Mohawk. "Moscow sent me here. No, Costco did," Robert stuttered, trying to remember the name, "Wait, I know now, Bosco sent me." Robert finally spat out the name, snapping his finger.

The man nodded, allowing him in like Robert had just uttered the password. As he led the heavyset man through the main room, Robert requested for the youngest one. "He told me she was the mom. No, the bomb!" he exclaimed, naughtily waving his finger.

The man led him into a small, dimly lit room. "Give me one minute," he stated, closing the door behind him, allowing Robert to look at the surroundings. There was a small bed, with a coat rack and small cupboard nearby. The blinds were completely down and a bathroom was in the corner. Robert sat down on the bed, the mattress squeaking in opposition to his weight. "What are these guys doing?" he mumbled to himself.

Just then, the door opened, revealing the man with a young lady. "You want the youngest one, right? Well, here she is," he declared, pushing the female figure in.

Robert's eyes bugged as the girl stood before him. She had brown shoulder-length hair, brown eyes, and wore a yellow-brown sports jacket and track pants. Robert gulped as he realized when they said the youngest one, they weren't kidding. This girl looked no older than sixteen, maybe still in high school. "Aren't you a bit too young to try attracting an old fart like me?" he asked nervously, scooting against the backboard of the bed.

* * *

And yes, that was **Poet Bucky **being a belly button fanatic with Genis (she's not as fanatical in real life, but belly buttons still get her attention nonetheless). What do you think of the OC's so far? It's a challenge for me, as I'm basically writing with one hand tied, since I'm incorporating these characters that I have no control over. Please give me some concrete comments, thanks!


	2. Bob the Bowling Ball

First chapter and a whopping 5 reviews, from **Poet Bucky, Mandrakefunnyjuice, Fenrir of the Shadows, AccessBlade, **and **Phazon.** I'm really glad that you guys liked the way your OC's are portrayed here. Like I said before, it's not easy to write with one hand tied behind my back, given that I had to conform to your OC's traits, but I'm glad it worked out. As for this chapter, look for more info on why Chocolat is a prostitute, another funny sequence from Bob Ross, and mentions of Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia.** Mandrakefunnyjuice** owns Robert (Bob) Ross. **Poet Bucky** owns Cabalina and Fil Ashton. **Fenrir of the Shadows** owns Azul Kharlan.

* * *

Robert felt like a mouse stuck in a corner, with a young, pretty predatory teenage cat on the prowl, getting ready to pounce. The shirking officer's hands shook in worry, a look of concern twisted upon his face as he had no idea how to handle an underage girl. "Uh, who exactly are you and what are you trying to do here?" he stuttered.

"Oh, I guess I should have introduced myself. My name is Chocolat, and I'm here to help you. I never knew that this can be used to aid others before, so had I known about it earlier, maybe I could have joined then," the girl explained, seemingly oblivious to the predicament Robert was in. She stood shyly at the edge of the bed, swaying from side to side and a goofy smile on her face, the total package representing her innocence.

But Robert was having none of that, as even his multiple failures in the force did not chip away at his morals. Surely someone in this building found using a teenager as a prostitute was immoral, right? "Helping people?" Robert retorted, an incredulous look etched onto his face. His body twitched slightly, and his hands shook in nervousness. "Well, I do believe you may require more help than I do. You can help me alright, by helping yourself out of this building and into somewhere safer."

"Of course we'll get to somewhere safer," Chocolat assured him, edging closer to the bed, "I've been told that we're always in debt, especially to the one keeping the planet together, and by letting me help you, we're both paying her back. Don't you agree?"

Robert scrunched up his face even more, curling his legs to his chest and rolling almost into a ball. "Yeah, you help me and I help you," Robert muttered, his eyes darting around like a trapped rodent, "But, uh, I have some rules regarding how old my supposed saviour should be, and I don't like getting involved until these rules are met." With that, he scurried out from the back board, curling to the bathroom and trying to get to the door.

But Chocolat cut him off, almost pinning him against the bathroom doorframe. "I don't think we need any rules, right? As long as we give back to the goddess, then it's all good. Trust me!" she insisted, pressing her smiling face uncomfortably close to Robert.

Robert leaned back as much as possible, viewing the grin as a cobra's venomous fangs as he tried to dodge out of the way. Little did he know that the bathroom door was open ajar, the tiny crack not viewable to the naked eye as Robert pressed his stocky frame against it. Linebacker met running back at the line of scrimmage as Robert shoved into the door, whipping it open and making it give way to his boulder-like body. The large man flopped onto the ground back first, his wallet, cell phone, house keys, and even police badge scattered throughout the ground like an explosion. "Oof, my spine!"

Chocolat followed suit, leaning in and towering over him like a child ready to squish an ant in her driveway. However, her eyes were not on the fallen officer; rather, she had them on a shiny oval-shaped object lying a metre or two beside him. "You're a cop?" she gasped. Immediately, she whipped her body around and bolted from the bathroom. She scurried out the door and closed it, a sharp click echoing from the wood.

Robert glanced up just as the door clicked shut, groaning as he shook his head to ease the pain. He lumbered forward like a bear, gripping the doorknob and pulling with all his might. But the wooden board held, refusing to budge an inch. "Darn it, looks like this thing can be locked from both sides," he cursed under his breath. Returning to the bathroom, he clumsily picked up all his belongings and instantly dialled for Noishe.

When the captain finally picked up, Robert explained everything that happened. "I'm now locked in here, and there seems to be no way out. Can you guys get in here and stop her?" he yelled frantically into his cell phone, his free hand wringing with worry. The dark room seemed to collapse in on him as his eyes darted around anxiously.

"If you only listened to me in the first place, and not barge in like they've just served a free buffet, then none of this would have happened!" Noishe scolded him, his tone harsh and bitter, "Alright, I'll call up the others and tell them that we have an officer in need of assistance and a suspect on the loose. What's it like getting in there?"

"You mean what the room looks like? Well, all the windows have blinds drawn over them, so there's no way out," Robert described the room to Noishe, "It's pretty dimly lit in here, and I have a bed next to me. The bathroom is to the side, and…"

"I don't want a description of the room, you ninny! I want to know your current location and directions as to how you got there!" Noishe screamed, his blaring voice piercing through the hearing piece on Robert's cell phone.

Robert pulled his phone away from his face, Noishe's voice doing a number on his eardrums. "Gee, no need to be that harsh," he fumed, unimpressed by his superior's frustration, "I'm in Room three-oh-eight, and Bosco sent me. Now can you get me out?"

* * *

Gil's Audi V8 screeched to a halt at the address Noishe referred to earlier in their conversation. He had the pedal to the metal the second he stepped out of the hospital, his right leg now more mobile with only a brace, instead of that heavy cast he sported for the last month. His heart pounded furiously as adrenaline surged through his body, his mind racing as he wondered what problems the unit ran into in their random building search. "I hope everything's alright," he murmured as he stepped out the car door.

Gil hobbled down the street as quickly as his injured leg could take him. The still weak bone and muscles didn't enable him to move quickly, as the goateed man required the help of a cane to proceed. He took step after gruelling step, inching his way forward to the building of interest as he saw two figures struggling with a gate. Upon a closer look, he realized that it was Noishe, speaking frantically on his cell phone while another person wrestled with the locked metallic barrier before them.

"We can't get in here right now. They pulled down the gate on us!" Noishe yelled into the phone, "Is there another way you can get yourself out?"

"Captain, do you have a thin rod of some sort? I think I can lock pick my way through this," Azul's voice could be heard asking. The silhouette figure had one hand extended towards them, hoping for an answer. Just in between Gil and Azul, Noishe was getting more and more flustered as he rifled through his pockets for any useful item. Gil could see Noishe finally hang up, sighing in exasperation as he continued helping Azul in any way he could. It wasn't just Robert getting in danger that he was worried about; he still had Presea and Cabalina to deal with amidst the tight security.

While Noishe and Azul continued hammering away, Gil stepped back and took a glance up. The old building had windows that pushed outward, and a few narrow bars and ledges hanging from the concrete. Gil's eyes scanned through the floors when one such window opened, revealing a heavyset figure stepping out and onto the ledge. "Wait, he's not trying for that, is he?" Gil stammered, pointing at the person, "That can't be Robert, can it? And why in the world is he climbing out from that window?"

Noishe and Azul immediately stepped out from the tunnel-like stairway, looking upward in worry as their colleague balanced delicately on the edge, trying to find another way in. "I told him to find another way out, not perform a great escape," Noishe hissed under his breath. Pushing Azul back into the stairs, they picked up their already torrid pace in unlocking the gate, hoping to get to Robert before he lost his balance.

But up twenty-five feet or so, Robert was oblivious to the happenings down on street level. Rather, he stepped gingerly onto the ledge, inching sideways as carefully as he could. He figured that if he could get away from the front of the building and onto the side, there might just be an entrance for him to go into. "Easy does it, easy does it," he muttered, negotiating around the corner and into the darkness of the alleyway.

Just then, a window whipped open, with a pony-tailed brunette sticking her head out. "Got you, you stalker!" she shouted, glaring at her target. Unfortunately for her, it happened to be Robert, and with the window frame pushed out into the alley, there was no room on the ledge for the chubby man to stand, forcing him to hang off the frame, his legs dangling from twenty-five feet in the air. "Robert, what are you doing?"

Robert grunted and groaned, reaching hard for any free object that could save him. His eyes were large as saucers, nearly bulging out of his head as he lunged for the young woman at the window. "Cabalina, don't just stand there! Help me!" he cried.

Cabalina reached down to Robert, their hands experiencing butter fingers as they slipped and missed several times. At the window frame, Robert's fingers slid millimetre by millimetre, losing more ground as he neared freefall. "Come on, Bob. Don't give up on me now!" Cabalina yelled, leaning her torso out to the hanging man.

After a gruelling several minutes, Robert finally grabbed hold of Cabalina's arm. Taking a deep breath, Cabalina dragged Robert up the window, hauling his weight like a trawler in open-ocean fishing. Robert leaned his chest into the window, and finally let his weight take over, rolling into the room like a garbage bag into a dumpster. The two sat on the ground, chests heaving as they felt the adrenaline slowly dissipate. "I thought you're a stalker or something," Cabalina scolded, "You scared me. Why were you out there?"

"Why'd you open the window then?" Robert retorted, staring darts into Cabalina, "I was trying to catch a suspect when they locked me in a bathroom. I had to climb out of the window just to escape, and you nearly push me off like that?"

Before Cabalina could even react, Robert's cell phone screeched through the air, causing both officers to glare at the offending object. Robert nonchalantly flipped it open and spoke in a sarcastically calm voice, "Hello, Captain Noishe? Cabalina and I are stuck in some side room, and we're trying to get out right now." The male officer pushed off from the ground, strutting out while still speaking loudly as Cabalina looked on, half in shock and half appalled. "What, you said you unlocked the gate? That's great, so you can help me catch the suspect too! They say she's the bomb, so go get her!"

Cabalina shook her head, wondering what summon spirit she insulted to be cursed with dealing with a slacker and pervert like that. She patted her pocket, assuring herself that her firearm was readily available in case she had to shoot, whether it might be the suspect, the people running the prostitution business, or her colleague. She looked on as Robert continued chirping and wandering aimlessly, a truly pathetic sight as the heavyset man looked around helplessly like a child trying to find his mother at the supermarket.

Cabalina finally had enough as she grabbed Robert by the collar and dragged him in the opposite direction. She trotted out to the staircase, the same one she entered in from and just caught a glimpse of a tall elf galloping up the stairs, taking two steps at a time as he cocked his firearm. "Cabalina, Bob, I think the suspect's upstairs. We still can't find Presea yet, so let's get moving," Azul encouraged the strange couple as he continued bounding his way up, followed closely by Noishe, who glanced at the two incredulously.

Cabalina stood up straight, ready to report to the captain of her progress when the heavyset man butted in. "Captain, I swear, I saw her firsthand," Robert stammered, using his hip to bounce Cabalina from Noishe's vision, "She was a teenager, about this tall, had long hair, and looked really innocent," he stuttered, waving his hands and arms furiously, "I didn't do anything sexual with her, honest. And I didn't let her get away either…"

Noishe grabbed Robert's arms and pulled them back down. "Can we get to the chase, please?" he pleaded, pointing at the stairs. Robert's eyes followed the finger slowly before he finally got the message. Giving a playful salute, he lumbered up to the next floor, leaving Noishe shaking his head as the former Protozoan followed the lead.

Cabalina was about to pursue when she saw the final figure limp up the stairs. It was a goateed man with a cane, struggling to climb the steps with his weak leg. The female officer held her gun closer to herself while extended her left hand. "Want me to help you?" she asked, a smile on her face, "We have to catch them, so let's hurry."

Gil clutched the hand like the rope on a mountaineering expedition, lifting himself to the top with great difficulty. "Thanks, Cabalina," he replied graciously, "but you really have no need to draw your firearm, at least not yet. We still don't know where the suspect is, and even then, you have no plans to shoot first and ask questions later, right?"

"Well," Cabalina responded slyly, patting the firearm. She longed to show off her sniping skills to the unit, but seeing her superior look at her with those powerful eyes made her think twice. "I'll keep it nearby, just in case, you know?"

* * *

"Police, stop right there!" the sound of Azul could be heard echoing from the stairwell as the police caught up to Chocolat just in time. The lanky elf went head-first into the fray, pinning the girl right near the edge and blocking off the stairs to the bottom floor and forcing her to stay out of the hallways. Azul chuckled as he stared at the area around, knowing it was only a matter of time before the chase came to an end.

In one smooth motion, Azul dove at Chocolat, who just slithered out of his grasp. Noishe then tried to cut her off from the other side, preventing her from going into the hallway. Chocolat bounced off a couple of doors, twisting the captain up and causing him to collapse onto the floor, entangled in his own two feet. The girl dashed down the hallway, dodging Robert's large frame as he went in hot pursuit, his pot belly jiggling as he picked up whatever speed he still had to catch the slippery suspect.

The girl dashed back for the stairs, decided to risk going up one more floor. The air from her movement nearly blew Cabalina and Gil back down the stairs as the female officer led the still-injured staff sergeant to the area. "It's alright, you guys. I'll catch her for you," Robert assured the two, hyperventilating as he near-waddled up the stairs.

Cabalina and Gil tried hollering, but to no avail as Robert disappeared from sight. The two immediately went to help Noishe and Azul, who staggered their way back to the stairs. "Any sign of Presea yet?" Gil asked frantically, his eyes darting around.

Chocolat finally made her way to the top floor, hoping to get to the roof and beeline for the other staircase. The building had six, maybe seven floors? She wasn't too sure, as she never really explored it during her times here. Moreover, the only thing on her mind was to escape the police, as she didn't even know why they were after her. "All I wanted to do was help people, is that wrong?" she muttered to herself.

But unfortunately, her luck ran out as she gripped the doorknob for the roof. The only response from the door was a loud clang, signalling that it was locked, and she had nowhere to go. Desperate, she hurried back down one flight of stairs, hoping to get back to the top floor and escape from there. This could very well be her last chance.

But before she could even make it to the bottom, a large figure blocked her way. The man slowly edged into view, his wide frame and stance plugging the entire stairway and his hands sternly on his hips. "You may be pretty fast, but it's all useless in the end. You know you can't escape," Robert snickered, an evil smile plastered onto his face.

Chocolat glanced around the area, dreadfully needing an escape route. Her pulse shot up twice its normal rate as each ticking second mimicked Robert's footsteps, with the officer in the puffy vest inching closer like an undead. "We didn't get to know each other too well back there, so let's try again at the station," he declared, whipping out his badge and taking one slow step at a time, "My name is Officer Robert Ross, and you're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent, as anything you say…"

Robert's foot was about to stomp down on the last step, but in his obsession-like attempt to read Chocolat her rights, he miscalculated the distance required to place his foot firmly down. Instead, the back half of his hiking shoe slipped off the step, causing his entire frame to waver. With arms flailing, Robert tumbled down the stairs, his large frame rumbling and shaking the old, cracked concrete. Just then, his colleagues showed up to offer back-up, only to try guarding themselves from the Indiana Jones-like boulder.

The bowling ball slammed into the pins with great velocity, the violent collision causing tremors throughout the entire building. Noishe and Azul took the brunt of the hit, throwing the elf against the side wall while the former Protozoan was pinned into the main wall. Robert ricocheted off and slid into Cabalina, cutting her legs from under her and sending her chin straight onto his forehead. In the process, she lost hold of Gil, who had his leg brace take a hard slap from Robert's thrashing arms, a jolt of pain shooting up his limb as the plastic protector dislodged and twisted into his calf.

The painful screaming was music to Chocolat's ears, as the teenager finally found a way out. As long as she could get to the other side of the building through this hallway, she was home free. Seeing the corridor before her, with a lit window on the other side welcoming her, Chocolat leaped towards that direction, trotting merrily to her exit.

But before she could take another step, a shadow emerged from nowhere and blindsided her, slamming her against the wall. Chocolat's face twisted in agony, her face like it had just been pressed against an iron. The torture continued as the figure flipped her front totally to the wall, her arms being pulled back and her hands gripped together. Two clicks and a pat-down later, she was led away from the hall and back into the front stairway. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be used against you in a court of law," a rather monotonous voice informed her.

Chocolat grew emotional, trying to struggle free while her mind filled with worry. What would she do to help people now, with her being taken into police custody? The officer continued leading Chocolat down and scanned over the scattered bodies of her fallen and moaning colleagues. "You guys alright?" she asked coolly.

Noishe lifted his face off the wall, a black eye and bleeding nose the results of the hit. "Presea, where were you all this time?" he murmured, before fainting in pain.

* * *

"According to this information, the last Sylvarant Chosen, a girl from Iselia, was separated from the group, living alone and working as a charity organizer," Colette summarized the facts they found out so far. Lloyd and Colette decided to hit the library after school to get started on their project, and originally invited Chocolat with them. However, their partner deserted them even as she promised she would do her part, leaving them to their own devices. That being said, it didn't stop them from progressing their work. "She was going to perform the last ritual to save people, and eliminated her powers as a Chosen altogether. But that was when the Vanguard army attacked."

"But later on, she supposedly joined up with this Emil Castagnier guy, and had to explain why she was wandering the world instead of playing her role as the so-called Chosen," Lloyd added, scribbling furiously onto the page, "Not to mention Emil had a very bad history with the Church of Martel, given that his parents were supposedly killed in a battle between it and the Vanguard, and you got yourself a hot potato." Lloyd shook his head, trying to stay focused as he absorbed all the small details here and there. "Why isn't Chocolat here? She could help us with the battle between the church and the Vanguard. It's linked to her topic, so she should get this done!"

Colette shrugged. "I don't know, maybe she has something come up and had to leave. We didn't exactly give her our cell phone numbers, so how do you think she can contact us?" she responded, a optimistic smile stretching across her face.

Lloyd chuckled. It was so like Colette to think of the positive side of things, making sure everything was alright and trying to prevent anyone from worrying about things they couldn't, or sometimes shouldn't, control. Clutching her hand, he brought it to his lips and gave it a gentle kiss. "Well, as long as we're at it, and we don't give up, we can get that A, with or without her," Lloyd promised determinedly.

Just then, Lloyd's cell phone tone sliced through the air, the library's relative silence shattered as the spiky-haired teen reached for his pocket. Grimacing, he quickly answered it, speaking in a soft tone as not to disturb those around him. "Hello?"

"Lloyd, it's me. I'm going to be late coming home tonight, so if you're hungry just microwave some leftovers for dinner," Gil's voice explained frantically from the other side, "We were on a case earlier and an accident happened, and now everyone's at the station getting the procedures finished. Who knows how long that'll take?"

Lloyd cocked an eyebrow. It was Gil's first case since he was reacquainted with the police, and he was already getting into danger? Maybe this new job wasn't too good after all. "What exactly happened to you today?" he questioned suspiciously.

"I'm not going to divulge into it, but you'll see it all on the news tonight," Gil responded, remaining coy, "That's the good news, and that's the bad news. What about you and Colette? How much on that project of yours did you finish?"

Lloyd sighed, rolling his eyes as the touchy subject reared its head again. "We were originally going to do it as a group, but then our partner decided to bail out on us without any notification, leaving Colette and I ploughing forward by ourselves. I swear, what's with these people? It's like they have other things on their mind!"

Gil chuckled. "Relax, Lloyd. Don't forget that a few months back, you were just like that. No matter what anyone did, they just can't seem to motivate you to do any school work. Even as your marks plummeted, you didn't feel the need to care," Gil reminded his son of his history, "So before you condemn her for being lazy, please look back at your own working style first. It's pretty irresponsible for you to say that."

"But still, she's the one getting all antsy and excited about the project, and saying how she'll hold us responsible if we get anything less than an A," Lloyd whined. Within seconds, the teen received death glares from fellow patrons at the library thanks to his increased volume, prompting him to wave his hand in apology. "Besides, I didn't make a fuss when I was doing poorly, but that's all in the past now." Lloyd whispered, assuring Gil that his efforts were on his school work, "I've got to go, I'll see you at home, okay?"

Lloyd gently slipped the phone back into his pocket as he returned to the table where he and Colette were working at. Picking up his notebook and other papers, he neatly placed them inside his bag and zipped it up. "I think it's time we go home," he suggested, "Dad won't be back until later on thanks to some tie-ups at the police station so looks like I'll be by myself for a little while. I'll give you a ride."

Colette looked on in anxiety as she packed up as well. Slinging the backpack over her shoulder, she followed her boyfriend out the door. "What happened to him? Did he get injured in a case or something?" she asked in a concerned tone.

Lloyd shrugged. By now, he had gotten used to his father's secretive ways, thanks to his decade as a mole. Even as they lived together in happiness, understanding how his actions saved everyone and restarting their father-son relationship, there were just things about Gil's work that one shouldn't inquire about. "Watch the news tonight," Lloyd stated.

* * *

"How well are you keeping the press at bay?" Gil asked, wincing as he tried to stretch out Noishe's back. The incident at the building caused so much trouble that paramedics were called in to remove the wounded officers from the stairway. Noishe and Azul received the worst injuries, with Azul bruising a shoulder and elbow, while Noishe got his spine rammed straight into hard concrete. Add the flying limbs and body parts and the result was bruised eyes and cheeks, something almost everyone sported.

"Well enough so that they don't barge into the station with their cameras, but I expect the exit at the building earlier to be shown tonight. Ouch, be gentle!" Noishe cried out as Gil straightened out the former Protozoan's back. Still nursing cuts and scrapes up and down his body, the captain had to restore order in his unit, all the while having his secretary deal with the injury claim forms. "Cameryn, are they ready?" he called.

A woman with strawberry blond hair and chocolate brown eyes entered the office, a pile of documents under her arms. "Here they are, Captain," she stated, gently placing them neatly on Noishe's desk, "I went through them all and checked to ensure that they were completed properly," she explained, her right index finger pointing at each file while her left index finger pushed her sliding glasses back up her nose, "Although I'm not too keen on having extra work loaded onto me so suddenly, I realize you guys have important missions, and that's why I respect that," she concluded with a smile.

Noishe nodded, moving his arm as slowly and gingerly as possible. "Cameryn has been in the force for a little while now, but she's mainly in the administrative branches," Noishe described her history with Gil, "For a younger officer, she's pretty capable, and I really admire her work ethic. You recently turned what, twenty-eight?" he asked.

Cameryn nodded sheepishly. "I'm twenty-eight and a half now, to be exact," she replied, "I really enjoy working with Captain Noishe. I don't really know you quite well though, Sergeant Irving. But given that Captain Noishe managed your undercover case, all I can say is that I'm really happy to be working in the same unit as you."

"Where is she? Where's my daughter?" a frantic voice echoed from the doorway. The threesome glanced out and saw a middle-aged woman with brown, shoulder-length hair wander helplessly in the unit. Gil slowly hobbled forward, leaning dramatically on his cane as officers outside struggled out of their seats to help the woman. "I got a call from you saying that my daughter's down here, so can I please see her?" she pleaded.

Gil was about to step out when Cameryn beat him to it. "Madam?" she greeted the woman in a friendly tone, "My name's Cameryn Lachance and I'm the unit secretary. I was the one who called you." She sat the woman down at her desk and informed her of the current situation, based on what the officers had found out at the building. The woman followed suit, her look of worry making her hair that much greyer. "I'm afraid that until we found out why your daughter was there and what she was doing, she'll be staying in custody. I'm sorry for this inconvenience, Mrs…" she trailed off, flipping the file to locate the lady's name.

The woman raised a hand. "Just call me Cacao is fine," she insisted, turning the secretary's attention back to her. Gil leaned on the doorframe and observed the scene. He understood the praise Noishe had for Cameryn, as the young woman had all her files and papers sorted into neat little piles, with a couple of trays indicating where each document was supposed to go. Gil looked on as Cameryn pulled out a note pad and quickly jotted down some notes, the goateed man impressed by her neat handwriting and ability to copy even the minutest details. She's got talent, I say, Gil thought to himself.

"Rest assured, Cacao, the police will do everything to get to the bottom of it. If your daughter is indeed innocent, then we will release her unconditionally," Cameryn informed the lady as she tore the page from her notepad. She slid the page neatly into her case folder, and placed it on a tray. Gil's eyes now focused in on Cacao, who wrung her hands in worry, her face tighter than a screw. She does seem to be a concerned parent, so what's the deal with her daughter, Gil mulled.

Cameryn flagged down a nearby officer to take Cacao off for a testimony, citing that her words might be of importance to the case. As Azul limped in, leading the woman away, Gil trudged up to Cameryn's desk. His leg brace still felt a bit loose, courtesy of Robert Ross' flying arm slamming into the plastic. But nonetheless, he soldiered on, leaning over Cameryn and reaching for the file. "Can I see your notes?"

But Cameryn's hand was faster, as she clutched the folder defensively and batted at Gil's wrist. "If you want to see, just ask nicely and I'll get it to you. Otherwise, don't be clutching and grabbing at my stuff. You'll mess everything up," she scolded Gil. The staff sergeant was left to look on defencelessly and Cameryn flipped the brown folder open, grabbing the first sheet and handing it to Gil. "You can make a photocopy if you want, but I want to have it back. Presea will give me the official interrogation notes later on, after she finishes with Chocolat, that is," Cameryn noted.

Gil nodded. Presea was the arresting officer, only because she was the only uninjured one, having been away from the stairs when Robert tumbled onto them. "I'll go check in on her, just to see what's going on," Gil decided, limping his way out.

And as the staff sergeant left, Noishe shouted for Cameryn from inside his office. "Can you please tell Officer Robert Ross to come in here? I want a word with him!"

* * *

Gil arrived at the interrogation room just a minute too late as officers stepped in to slap handcuffs on the suspect, Chocolat, and led her out. The teen was a bit wobbly, almost leaning against the two officers for support while mumbling inaudibly. Gil looked at her in curiosity, wondering what was truly wrong with the girl. "She wasn't like that when we first arrested her. Heck, she almost outran all of us," he muttered.

The figures grew increasingly smaller as the officers brought Chocolat away into the holding cell, leaving Gil standing with his cane and observing the whole sequence. He was so absorbed in figuring out Chocolat, his eyes alternating between suspect and the notes he received from Cameryn that he didn't even notice Presea step out from the room. "Gil, what are you doing here?" she asked, gently closing the door behind her.

Gil snapped out of his thoughts and stared at Presea, the petite pink-haired young woman looking concerned as she tucked a folder under her arm. "I just finished with her, and I'm about to hand this in for reporting," she informed Gil, "Is there something you want?"

"Yes, actually," Gil replied, flipping the page over for Presea to see. The shorter officer leaned forward, getting a glimpse at the unbelievably neat handwriting. "I was at the unit earlier and Chocolat's mother, Cacao, was there. Cameryn had a chat with her, and in turn copied down these notes about her daughter. I was wondering if you could have gotten to addressing these before you let her out, but I was too late."

Presea kept her eyes on the page Gil had held before her face while digging into the folder she had in her hands. Certain words jumped out at her, making her wonder what connection they had to her interrogation. "So according to the mother, Chocolat's father died when she was fairly young, leaving her to raise Chocolat by herself. She also said that Chocolat was pretty good academically until she met some people who lured her into the prostitution business via mind drugs? That sounds awfully familiar…" she trailed off, turning her eyes to the folder as she skimmed the lines of the testimony.

Gil rubbed his hand anxiously, the paper fluttering with the movement as he looked on. Presea's eyes cast laser beams at her paper, scanning down the page line by line until she got to where she wanted. Her finger pointed at the line of interest as she read to Gil, "A quick blood test on her showed large amounts of amphetamines in her body, meaning her mind will be shaky and her emotions are temperamental at best," she explained, her finger pecking a hole into the paper at that line, "I think this is what's leading to the brainwashing that forced her to prostitution, if there was forcing done."

Gil nodded, his hand scratching the beard part of his goatee. He wasn't aware of any child prostitution done when the case was still located out of Triet, but Noishe did mention the gang getting bolder, so things might have happened in between that he had no knowledge of over. But still, the evidence to deem this act as forced prostitution was shaky at best. "What else did she reveal?" he asked, peeking at the page.

Presea's eyes squinted hard, trying to read the next set of notes. "The next bits just became really unclear, as she started rambling incoherently in the middle of our interview," Presea reported, cocking an eyebrow in surprise at what she wrote down, even as she heard it firsthand in the room, "She said a chant of some sort, something relating to the Goddess Martel and mana. I really didn't know what she was doing."

Gil frowned. Was Chocolat so high on drugs that she had became delusional so fast? Or was this a result of lacking drugs, and her brain acting erratically? The storm cloud of thoughts swirled violently in his brain as he realized Chocolat's words became that much more important. "Can I look at that?" he asked, reaching for the file folder.

Presea surrendered the file to Gil, who scanned each line in interest, scooping up each word with his photocopier-like eyes. Presea stayed emotionless, trying to gauge Gil's thoughts as the former moles stood silent in the hallway, with only the sound of the fan being heard. But there was one line that Gil couldn't tear his eyes away from. "People are all sinners, and they all owe a debt. The true meaning of life lies in helping cleanse people of their crimes." Gil slowly lifted his eyes from the page and stared upward, the lids slowly dropping as he immersed himself in thought. It was so eerily similar to that religious fanatic group in Triet, claiming to be the representatives of Martel, possessing divine skills that could help others. Now, with drugs and young people involved, this could only get uglier. "And that's pretty much all she said?" Gil asked.

Presea nodded gravely. "I'm afraid so. She repeated this line several times, and didn't really answer any of my questions at all," she described, pointing at various parts of the page. She could see Gil's eyes follow her finger as she described, knowing that any line could be crucial. "I'm guessing this all but confirms the presence of drugs and other agents to get these young people to submit to the gang, and in turn carry out all sorts of nasty things. But what drove the teenagers to go to these guys?" Presea wondered aloud.

Gil held the folder carefully in one hand while balancing the loose leaf on the other, his eyes doing double duty as they rolled down each page. On the page given to him by Cameryn, it was noted that Chocolat was at a different high school, closer to the downtown core and their area of interest from earlier, until she was finally transferred out from there earlier this year. Unfortunately for him, there was no information on which high school she was currently attending, making tracking her that much more difficult. Rolling his eyes up, he glanced at the ceiling with an amused expression. "Do you think we can access her school records from here?" he asked Presea.

Presea shrugged, a small smile on her face. "Hey, when I was at SIU, I was considered the technology expert, so there's nothing I can't handle. I did keep you from finding out about me for three years, so how hard could this be?" she replied, winking and nudging Gil, taking back her folder as the staff sergeant chuckled along with her.

* * *

"It has been reported that the police was giving chase to a teenage suspect in this old downtown building when a mishap occurred. The new plainclothes unit of the Iselia police force, led by Captain Arthur Noishe and Sergeant Gilbert Irving, the same two people in charge of saving the world from a Derris Kharlan invasion, was supposedly knocked over by one of their own as they headed up these narrow stairs…" Lloyd Irving prepared his supper consisting of leftovers from the previous night, eyes alternating between the microwave and the television, which had the evening news on. Hearing that his father was involved in something unusual, he decided to check it out for himself.

And on the screen, the sight wasn't pretty as banged up officers were eased out, helped by paramedics who thankfully arrived on scene to ensure safety. One particular officer of interest was a rather chubby one who had to be carted out on a stretcher. The camera zoomed in on him, his face slightly covered by the oxygen mask as concerned citizens looked on. From the side shot, a teenage girl was wheeled into a police cruiser, her jacket shielding her face from the camera. "So far, there has only been one arrest but the police refuse to elaborate. We will keep you posted on this," the reporter announced.

Just as he settled down before the television, the sound of the garage door opening rumbled through the house. Within seconds, a tall, goateed man on a cane hobbled to his direction, the clopping of the wooden stick echoing from the floor. Lloyd sprang to his feet and trotted to the hallway, giving him as much help as possible. "Seriously, you still require help, so don't be doing anything dangerous," he chided his father.

Gil waved a hand, a defiant smile stretched into his cheeks. Lloyd eased him into the dining room table, where Gil took a seat at the closest chair. "I'm a police officer. I went undercover to spy on an extremist organization for ten years. What makes you think I can't handle a chase in a building like that?" he retorted, pointing at the still-on television, "Although I must say, they didn't do a very good job of capturing me. Why did they make me look like I'm half-dead?" he critiqued, teeth clenched at the scene.

Lloyd glanced back at the screen, and saw Gil limp out of the building in pain and favouring his braced right leg. The staff sergeant tried to avoid all contact with the press, placing a hand forward as he wobbled into a waiting ambulance. "You ended up going to the hospital? Dad, what really happened in there?" he asked, his pitch raising an octave.

Gil chuckled. "Try having a slightly obese, definitely out of shape officer rolling down a flight of stairs and flatten you, then you tell me how it feels," Gil replied, edging to the dining room table. The microwave beeped just in time, prompting Lloyd to hurry over and pull the leftovers from the oven. Gil took a couple of whiffs at the steaming hot food before him, his mood changing as the thought of nourishment crossed his mind.

Meanwhile, Lloyd took a seat across from his father, his chocolate eyes were pools of worry as he stared into Gil's face. "Seriously, how did you guys have such a clumsy officer in your unit? I thought Colette was bad when she was younger, but to fall off the stairs during a chase is absurd!" he exclaimed, stabbing his fork into the meat.

Gil shrugged. "If that were me, I'd tell Noishe that I'm merely impersonating my wages and savings in an economic downturn: falling." Gil howled in laughter at the joke, making Lloyd cock his eyebrow uncomfortably at his father. Since when did Gil become so sarcastic? Was this a side effect of him spending all that time as a mole, or was it the weird thoughts required to solve the Altamira cases warping his brain permanently?

But returning to a serious tone, Gil merely stated his case for Robert. "Officer Bob Ross isn't really a bad guy," he explained, spooning some vegetables onto his plate, "He's an eight-year veteran in the force, a former star cadet in the academy, and Noishe even hired him to replace me in Major Crimes after I went undercover. So there are a lot of good points about him. As for why he is the way he is today, your guess is as good as mine. But all I'll say is we have to cooperate if we want to crack the case."

Lloyd chewed his food thoughtfully. He never saw this side of his father before, where he defended someone so vigorously even as they continued to flop. During the Cruxis years, he always imagined his father as the one who lied and cheated, never telling the truth to anyone around him. But to defend a failed officer so much that he refused to dismiss him? It was truly uncharacteristic. But then again, Gil put up with Lloyd's many years of failure before, especially during the junior high and early senior high school years, so maybe it wasn't that surprising. Turning back to look at Gil, Lloyd asked, "So what's the next move? I assume you did arrest someone, right? What information did you manage to get out of the suspect, and does it get you any closer to the answer?"

Gil shook his head, lifting the vegetables gently into his mouth. "You know, it was interesting, because she's about your age, but there's a dark secret about her. I don't want to reveal anymore, because that'd be revealing confidential information. All I can say is that this case deals with teenager prostitution, and it could very well be that many teenagers involved either have too much time on their hands, or a past that they don't want to describe. Do you know anyone at your school like that? If yes, then maybe I ought to drop by in the future and ask some questions, because the suspect wasn't helpful at all."

With that, Gil dipped his head back down, his eyes focused solely on his food and leaving Lloyd to mull over those words. Were there prostitutes and drugs among his classmates? Suddenly, the typically big-appetite teen wasn't so hungry anymore.

* * *

Cameryn stretched out her arms and back as she got off the bus, leading her back to her apartment just outside of the downtown area. It was a hectic day at the station, with the administrative nightmare that occurred when the officers returned to the unit injured, all thanks to Bob Ross. Add the fact that their suspect was so high on drugs, so much so that Presea's notes resembled a kindergartener's, and Cameryn's brain was officially dead. "I really should ask Noishe for a break soon," she muttered as she edged into the building.

The security guard at the front desk greeted the secretary as she slapped the button for the elevator. Cameryn lifted her hand gently, waving at the balding man as she waited patiently, her mind still in the quagmire known as her unit. "Now Chocolat's mother is here and she's posturing about some gang leader seducing Chocolat into prostitution. So if this gang leader does exist, where does it lead us?" she murmured.

Just then, the front door of the building opened again, with a younger woman stepping in this time. Again, the security guard greeted her, but the response was much more subdued. Cameryn watched with interest as the aquamarine-haired woman almost sidestepped the entire security desk, making a wide cut away from the guard and inched to the elevator. Sensing her feeling uncomfortable, Cameryn tried not to stare, but took a few sneak peeks from the corner of her eye at the mystery individual. Just who was she?

The dinging of the elevator snapped them both out of their poses, the doors opening wide as the lift invited them back into their homes. Cameryn and the woman strolled in, neither speaking to each other as the doors slowly closed. Cameryn hit the button for the sixth floor and leaned back, trying to get the young woman's attention. "Hey, what floor do you want?" she asked, smiling and keeping a friendly tone.

Still, the woman refused to look at Cameryn, merely gesturing at the board. "Six is fine," she replied, her tone barely above a whisper. She kept her arms very close to her body, her back hunched over and tucking her bag even closer to herself. Had it not been for the empty elevator, Cameryn would have thought they were at the evening rush hour, trying to squeeze onto the sardine can-like buses as they pulled in.

Cameryn tilted her head to the woman, trying to read her facial expression. Being a unit secretary pretty much gave Cameryn photographic memory, as she was capable of noticing even the minutest details, both on paper and in life. On the first day the unit came together, Noishe would joke that they had three people with great memory in their unit: Gil, Presea, and Cameryn. Now, with her gift, Cameryn was intent on probing the fellow elevator rider, just to know her potential neighbour a bit better. "I've never really seen you here before," she stated, "Did you just recently move here?"

Again, complete silence as the young woman avoided any contact with Cameryn. From her angle, Cameryn could see that she was about five-foot-six, wore round-rimmed glasses, was probably in her late teens or early twenties, and had some elf features on her face. Given that her ears weren't pointy like her colleague Azul's, Cameryn figured that she was a first generation half-elf. "I'm guessing this is your first time living downtown, am I right? It's not always easy being in the heart of the city like that, so if you ever need any help, feel free to come ask me. I'm on your floor, after all," Cameryn offered.

And just as this was uttered, the elevator dinged again, the doors whipping open to their destination. The two scooted along the hallway, trying to find their flat. Cameryn approached Flat C and slid her key in. She kept her eyes on the young woman, who went across the hall and paralleled Cameryn by going to Flat B. "Hey, what do you know? We are close to each other!" Cameryan exclaimed, "So I guess we're neighbours, huh?"

The young woman finally turned her head around, her expression finally relaxing as her dark eyes stared back at the police secretary. "Yeah, I guess we are," she sputtered, not sure what to make of the situation. Part of her was relinquishing her secrecy due to the nonstop probing, but the other side of her was happy to know that there was someone she could rely on, especially in her current topsy-turvy life. Seeing how Cameryn was so keen on lending a hand, she figured at least they ought to speak to each other a bit more.

Seeing her crack herself open brought a huge smile to Cameryn's face, the cool hallway suddenly feeling warmer as the police secretary approached her half-elf neighbour. "I guess it's only right that we introduce ourselves to each other. After all, we'll be seeing a lot of each other from now, right?" she chuckled, "My name's Cameryn Lachance, what's yours?" she asked, extending her hand to the aquamarine-haired lady.

The half-elf apprehensively took Cameryn's hand, giving it a weak shake. "My name's Kate Aubrey." She replied, slowly lifting her head to look into Cameryn's eyes.

"Kate, is it? Well, it's great to meet you, and I hope you drop by my place sometime soon," Cameryn suggested, slinging her bag over her shoulder, "By the way, you never answered my question. I never saw you around before, so when did you really move here?" she asked, her smile never leaving her face as she tilted her head slightly.

Finally, the moment Cameryn anticipated for happened, as a smile slowly curled up Kate's lips. "Last week," she responded, nodding gently, "I moved in just last week."

* * *

And let's end it there. And yes, Cameryn is another OC from one of my reviewers, this time from **AccessBlade**. You owe me big time for making the request so late, but luckily I had the unit secretary role left for you. Until then, see you next time!


	3. The Cult Revealed

Five reviews again, from **Phazon, Poet Bucky, AccessBlade, Fenrir of the Shadows, **and **Mandrakefunnyjuice**. Some of you like the way the OC's are being portrayed, while others want the canonical characters more involved. I've got a bit of both here, with significant discussion on OC's, canonical characters taking much screen time on important issues (Noishe and Presea, Kate and her father), and a father-son sequence.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. **Mandrakefunnyjuice** owns Robert (Bob) Ross. **Poet Bucky** owns Cabalina and Fil Ashton. **Fenrir of the Shadows** own Azul Kharlan. **AccessBlade** owns Cameryn Lachance.

* * *

Just because it was the weekend didn't mean less work for Gilbert Irving and crew, as they were called back to the station again to deal with Chocolat's forty-eight detention hours being up. With the district attorney demanding answers, Noishe knew that time was running out. "What did the evidence analysis say regarding Chocolat? Is there anything that we can use to lay charges, or do we have to release her?" he asked.

Cameryn shook her head. She gestured at the neat piles of papers placed at the centre of the conference room table, each with information vital to the outcome of the case. "We've looked over page after page, and discussed it in each way possible, and we have nothing on her other than being intoxicated," she described, her knuckles rolling at her temples, "If this is it, we can't really charge her, let alone keep her here any longer."

But Gil was having none of that, as he waved his hand in annoyance from the other end of the table. "It's pretty evident that there's something fishy with her, with all those drugs and stuff, and it's not right that we let our only bait off the hook. There's a huge fish out there for us to catch, and we're just letting her out like that?" he demanded, straightening out his back and glaring at the former Protozoan incredulously.

Noishe shrugged. His shoulders sagged and his back hunched, indicating his helplessness with everyone else. "I can't do anything, since the DA made it clear that basic rights and freedoms are untouchable," he replied, volume decreasing significantly, "Freedom of religion is a basic and fundamental right, and her weird religion is the only thing we got on her. So if we send it to the DA, chances are he'll throw it right back in our faces. We have no choice but to let Chocolat go."

Just then, a soft rap could be heard from the door. Azul, who was closest to it, got up and promptly opened it, revealing the familiar face of Cacao. "Madam, what a surprise to see you," he greeted, "We weren't expecting visitors today, so what brings you here?"

"After I left the unit that day, I called around the administrative people to see what procedure my daughter has to go through before you let her out. They say you have the right to detain her for forty eight hours. Now the time is up, but my daughter is still not released. I'm just worried that you may have pressed charges, so I decided to come to the unit myself, but nobody's outside," she explained, her lips quivering as her eyebrows furrowed like caterpillars, "Please, she's innocent. There has to be a mistake!"

Azul led the shaken woman into the room, letting her have his chair as he tried to soothe her. "I'll go get you some coffee," he suggested, scurrying from the room. Cacao only closed her eyes and breathed deeply, her brain and stomach swirling simultaneously.

Sensing the situation, Presea leaned over and sought to calm Cacao down. "I was the one who did the interrogation with your daughter, and I don't believe she voluntarily went into prostitution. My colleagues and I all believe Chocolat was most likely forced into this situation, and I assure you that we will get to the bottom of this," she promised Cacao, placing one hand on top of hers, "But we must have all the help we can get, especially from you. So do you have any idea what group or which person might be behind this?"

Cacao shook her head. "I've tried so hard to deal with this problem, and it never seems to get solved," she explained, trying hard to contain her tears, "Like I told you guys before, her father died when she was young, leaving me alone with the family business. I run the store six, seven days a week, and rarely have the time to deal with her. Chocolat has always been a good girl, very mature for her age. But our location near the downtown core always brings unwanted attention in, and that includes negative influences."

Azul gently placed the cup of coffee to the woman's side, the elf's hand still wrapped in bandages and other protective gear. After the last incident, most officers were still nursing their wounds, and were intent on just going over evidence in the unit rather than run off of more wild goose chases. Mouthing a silent thank you, Presea edged the cup closer to Cacao, who clamped her hands around it apprehensively. "So what exactly is the unwanted distraction? Is it the same stuff you discussed with Cameryn?" she asked.

Cacao nodded. "She's good academically, and she's a fantastic helper at the store, but ever since she started hanging out with the wrong crowd, things have never been the same. She'd come home, blubber incoherently, and there are often questionable smells coming from her body." Cacao's lips wavered as the faucets known as her eyes leaked out tears nonstop, "But I can't help it if I can't see her at school. That's why I transferred her elsewhere, just to escape this, but obviously it's still not enough!" she sobbed.

The sounds of Cacao's hiccups caused each person's body to clench as they were more determined than ever to track down the one responsible for this. Looking around the table, there was not one officer who did not had a fume on their faces, as they were all intent on bringing this ringleader to justice once and for all. And as if right on cue, the most trigger happy individual was the first to take initiative, as Cabalina slammed a fist on the wood, shaking everyone out of their anger. "I say we raid their headquarters and start hauling people back here. We'll question them nonstop until we get what we want," she decided firmly, her tone bordering between defiant and uncompromising, "If they don't work with us, then let's kick some butt."

But Gil was quick to ease the speech, even though he was in agreement in his mind. "We have to locate them first, and we must get at least some evidence showing that this is linked to Chocolat in some way," he stated straightforwardly, "Captain Noishe, is there anything in the evidence that we can use to do even, let's say, a random search, or ask certain people to return to the station to quickly cooperate with us?" he asked.

Noishe glanced at Cameryn, who seemed relatively confident of this move. She sat up straight, her hands reaching for the files and flipped through them with ease, her eyes making quick work of the lines. "I think if we're to bring them back for a quick chat, there shouldn't be any problems. After all, it's not like we're placing any charges yet, right? So we'll just say we're collecting evidence!" she exclaimed, nodding her head.

* * *

The dim lighting in the office resembled the mood in that room, as two men sat across the table from one another. Face to face with each other's minions, they stared down their opponents like the linemen in a football game, waiting anxiously for the first move from either side. The silence at the time seemed like a calm to an incoming storm.

Finally, the silence was shattered with a resounding pound of a fist onto the desk. "So what is this? You don't plan to follow through?" a man with flat top hair and square jaw yelled, the table still rumbling from the impact, "I already said I can't finish dealing with the numbers, so you can wait for now. But that doesn't mean I won't pay, so don't you dare stop your end of the deal!" He pointed a finger menacingly at his opponent.

The other man brushed him off with a wave of the hand. He crossed his arms across his chest, his fume only half showing due to the lighting cutting a vertical line down the centre of his face. "Without me, you think you'd be here? You call yourself the Daggertooth, but I say you're toothless," he retorted. From the other side, the older man had a round face, and part of a thick moustache showing in the light. "My offer remains the same. Pay up, or I'm backing out of the deal, meaning I'll provide nothing to you."

The man known as Daggertooth threw his hands up into the air. "You call this cooperation? How about coercion?" he spat, "I have much better prices than anyone else out there, and you're profiting off of this a lot already, so what's the big fuss? I have to eat too, so I'm having a delay just to get the numbers straight, got it?"

Now it was the other man's turn to slam his fist on the wood. "Are you bargaining with me? You dare challenge me?" he shouted, leaning his face forward. His cheeks twitched slightly, causing the side of his moustache to wiggle under his nose.

But Daggertooth remained defiant. He returned the glare to the other side, his eyes reflecting his nickname. "We all want to make more, so we have the same goal. Is there a need to backstab your own allies this quickly?" he responded, his face exhibiting a fume as well, "I know your operation well, and that you manipulate young girls to be used as prostitutes. Just remember that you should manipulate only those girls and not the ones you work with. I don't like being lied to, you know."

Daggertooth snapped his finger, causing his minions behind him to straighten out and head for the door. In a final bold gesture, he shot out of his chair and towered over the man in the shadows, one finger pecking at the desk as he spelled out his conditions clearly. "I'll gladly sell you the goods when you offer the right price. Heck, I'll even deliver them here myself. But until then, be careful who you use to achieve your goals."

As Daggertooth's group filed out, the remaining men in the room huddled in the corner, mulling what option was left. Daggertooth was crucial to their operations, and they couldn't just have him run off on them. But should they appease him too much, he could get greedy and ask for more and more, just like how he was acting currently. In either situation, it was a dead end, and all the people were staring at the man in the chair.

The walls seemed to be closing in on them, making the dim room darker as the group felt like they were being swallowed by the darkness. They stood silently, waiting for an answer as the moustachioed man clasped his hands in thought. When he finally spoke, it signified a sign of persistence rather than compromise. "They don't scare me. None of them do," he stated, "If they plan to bargain with me, then they're in trouble."

The men slowly edged back out of the office, still shaken by the scene before. The challenge from Daggertooth and their leader's defiance clearly put them in a difficult spot to do anything, and the last thing they wanted was more interference from outsiders. So when there was a banging at the door, they were none too pleased in answering it. "Who is it?" a younger man demanded as he whipped the door open.

But what he received was a gold badge to the face. "We're the Iselia Police, here for a special investigation," an elf announced, waving the badge tauntingly, "This is not a search, nor are we making arrests. We're merely here to ask a few questions. You have the right to refuse cooperation, as it is voluntary. But if you want your names cleared, I certainly suggest you do cooperate." Azul slipped the badge back and pushed the door open, barging into the room with other officers and leaving the younger man in shock.

"What's going on here? Who's coming in here like this?" the leader shouted as he strolled out. Confronting Azul, he marched up to the tall, lanky elf and bumped him in the chest. "This is private property. The police can't charge in without a warrant!"

Azul was about to explain when Cacao bolted into the front. She grabbed the plump man by the shirt and pointed him out to police. "That's him. He's the one who lured my daughter into prostitution. Arrest him, officers!" she demanded.

"What? Prostitution? Madam, I suggest you don't make crazy slanders here. What evidence do you have supporting your claims?" the moustachioed man responded, "Take your hands off me. You have no right to touch me!" he slapped her hand away.

That was the spark that ignited the eruption, as Cacao lunged at the man, trying to haul him out. Azul had to wrap his arms around Cacao while Presea slipped in, keeping the other men back as to avoid conflict. Meanwhile, the third member of the force, Cabalina, stood at the doorframe and brandished her firearm at the gang leader, who struggled to free himself out of Cacao's grasp.

Just then, Robert Ross, who arrived late as usual, lumbered up the stairs and saw Gil trying to diffuse the situation from outside the door. Seeing his handicapped superior trying to direct traffic, he decided to lend a hand. "Let me handle this, Sarge," he offered, a hand gripped onto Gil's shoulder and easing the goateed man out of the way. Gil could only look on in hesitation as Robert stuck a hand between the wriggling Azul and Cacao, his badge shoved into the fray. "I'm Officer Robert Ross, and I'm taking over the situation."

But nobody paid attention to Robert, as the moving pile continued to edge out the door. Robert was inadvertently bumped back foot after foot, his heavyset body no match for the several wrestling bodies. Presea was still in the room, splitting her eyes between the gang and the crowd, while Gil tried regaining his balance to stop the fight. "Stop this. Stop this at once!" he ordered, clopping forward on his cane.

Then, with arms and body parts still flying, the crowd ran out of room, as they nudged Robert right off the stairs. The chubby man wobbled for a while, arms wheeling to regain his balance as the heels of his hiking boots teetered on the step. His large body weighed him down the stairs, making this precarious situation even worse. Reaching for the first thing available, he grabbed the back of Azul's dark brown jacket.

Azul grimaced as his tardy colleague pulled on his coat, threatening to tear the fabric off his back. Knowing that they were about to tumble over, he gripped onto Cacao even harder, which in turn caused the middle-aged woman to grip onto Cabalina and the man she accused earlier. The five leaned precariously on the final step, all balanced by Robert's hiking boots. Seeing the scenario, Gil limped in to unravel the bodies, trying to prevent a serial fall. "Presea, please help me!" he called as he approached the group. He first signalled Cabalina to place her gun back into the holster so he could grab her hand.

But just as she did that, her free hand slipped from Cacao's grasp, causing the woman to pull harder. That yanked Azul forward, and unbalanced Robert's footing on the last step. With gravity dominating, the heavyset officer took his freefall, pulling everyone in the pile with him as they rolled down the stairs. Gil could only holler helplessly as Robert, Azul, Cacao, Cabalina, and their suspect all rolled down a flight of stairs with at least twelve steps. The rolling boulder slammed mainly back and shoulder-first into the cement, the collision causing the entire building to shudder as all that was heard from them were moans of pain. Gil and Presea, who rushed out just too late, could only wince.

* * *

"Seriously, thanks for inviting me over today. I'm sure Grandma won't mind having a new friend in the neighbourhood, given how all her attention has been on Raine and me for the last ten years," Genis thanked Bucky as they entered the barn. It was a fine weekend day, and since Lloyd and Colette had to go to the library again, Bucky decided to take Genis to her acreage. Genis gave Lynn a quick call to confirm that he'd be home later, and might require a ride from her, leaving the two friends to explore the new barn.

"So did you always have a barn in where you used to live?" Genis asked as they pulled the doors open. The smell of grasses and other barnyard animals penetrated into the young half-elf's nose, an odour much alien to the usually urban boy.

Bucky smiled. "I didn't really have my own barn then, having to share with my neighbour. In fact, even when my family bought Indy, we had to keep him somewhere else. But with this place, we have more room for Indy and Goatee. It makes them more comfortable, and they can sleep inside and out, if they wanted to," she explained.

Genis cocked an eyebrow. He looked around, noticing six big box stalls, which he assumed would be where the animals slept at night. Of the six, the two in the centre were filled with stacks of hay and straw, leading him to believe that Indy and Goatee owned these stalls. He slowly stepped forward, edging into the barn and passing by a feeding area near the entrance, and saw some of the food the goat and horse would be fed. "So, is this what you usually give them? And how often do they get to eat?" he asked.

Bucky rolled up her sleeves and strode towards the feed lot. The first thing she did when Genis arrived was change out of her regular clothes into her barn clothes. Instead of the newer T-shirt, jeans, and dark sneakers she usually had on, she returned with the older clothes she wore when she was riding back in Altamira, complete with paddock boots and riding gloves. "Normally, twice a day, with Indy getting a full bucket," Bucky explained, holding up an ice cream container, "Goatee only gets half a bucket. Indy gets about two flakes of hay along with his food, and Goatee usually steals about half of that."

Genis nodded, seemingly understanding the situation. He trotted up to the stalls for Indy and Goatee, and saw an interesting tarp covering the opening of one of them. "So who has this slot? And why is this thing here?" he queried, pulling on the blanket.

"That's Indy's stall, and that fabric covering there is like a door. It just keeps them inside their stall. Though in winter, we'll probably shut those big wooden stall doors that are latched back right now. It helps keep them warmer when they sleep in here," Bucky described, pointing at each element as she spoke, "They don't usually sleep in here, unless it's really cold outside. What's Iselia's temperature like?"

Genis shrugged. "We're a pretty temperate place, so it's rare to see temperatures below freezing unless it's the middle of winter," the young half-elf recalled, thinking of his younger years. Because he didn't really have too many friends, he usually hung out with Lloyd and Colette during winter times, and at the few times that it snowed, they would often go outside and have snowball fights. Now, to see Bucky here, showing him all these interesting things, he was truly breaking out of his shell. "We have thirty degrees Celsius temperatures throughout summer, and that usually stays until end of September, maybe early October. I'm guessing you usually leave the horse and goat outside."

"Indeed I do," Bucky replied, taking Genis to the other end of the barn. There was a large water tank just outside of the other doors, leading to a pasture where Genis could see the large quarter horse and smaller goat roam. "It's better for them to get the fresh air anyway. In fact, that's why I love working out here, just to be outside and all. Of course, that's also why I change into these clothes, so that I don't start sweating up a storm in overly stuffy places." Bucky laughed, waving the end of her shirt to cool herself off.

Genis mimicked her action and removed his open-fingered gloves and vest, leaving him in a loose, dark blue T-shirt. "So what's it like working in winter conditions?" he questioned, hanging the vest and gloves on the bars of a nearby, empty stall.

Bucky chuckled and shook her head. "I recalled once, there was a freak winter storm back where I lived before. We had a pregnant mare in the barn. She was actually early in delivering, and she delivered at around three a.m. in the morning. The owner of the barn didn't discover the poor bugger until a few hours later. The foal was just lucky that he'd been born in a nice warm barn surround by other warm bodies. If not, he probably would have died. He was such a cute bugger," Bucky concluded with a shrug.

Bucky sighed, still reminiscing of that time. Looking at Genis, a sly smirk lined her face as she sought a chance to freak him out. "Did you know that despite they are mammals, horses don't have belly buttons? We have belly buttons because our umbilical cords are cut off and tied, but for horses we leave them on and let them shrivel up. They fall off after a while, leaving no scar or birthmark whatsoever. Kind of cool, right, belly button boy?" she snickered at the silver-haired half-elf.

Genis' face paled as he heard the news. "No belly buttons? That's scary!" he exclaimed, his voice echoing off the wooden walls. He gently lifted his shirt, exposing the deep depression on his gut to Bucky. "Then what am I going to poke if I don't have one?" he demanded, dipping a finger inside, "Don't go anywhere, alright?"

Bucky laughed, trotting up to Genis and placing a hand on his shoulder. Despite being three years older than Genis, the two stood about the same height at just under five feet. And it didn't hurt that the two were obsessed over the same thing: belly buttons. Just as Genis released his hand from the hole-like object on his stomach, Bucky stated, "Though you might want to watch where you put your belly button, because Goatee may try to eat it!" With that, she sneaked a hand in, trying to jab at Genis' belly button.

But the half-elf caught on, edging away just in time and guarding his belly button defensively with his hand. "You just wait. Once I have more powerful spells, I'll freeze you in place and give your belly button the poking of a lifetime!" he roared excitedly.

"Well, too bad for you, you don't have those spells. And until then, I don't plan to reveal my belly button in public!" Bucky stuck out her tongue and dashed off, with Genis in pursuit as they sprinted around the pasture, laughing and having fun amidst the strange stares of Indy and Goatee, wondering what weird thing their owner was trying now.

* * *

"Go easy, go easy," Robert requested as he stuck out his lips, letting Cameryn put on a bandage. After another impersonation of a bowling ball, Robert got a gash above his lips this time, along with bruised hands and wrists thanks to the pile of bodies crashing down on him. Now, with his lips swollen resembling a pig's snout, Robert had to wait patiently while Cameryn fumbled with the Band-Aid, his welfare squarely in her hands.

As the unit secretary continued her work on Robert, chiding the heavyset man for being late and clumsy, Raine was busy going around the unit using her First Aid spell on the other officers. She had learned this spell for about two months, but already she had gotten used to utilizing it in minor situations. Heck, it saved her the last time she was in a police investigation in Altamira, so why not here? "Besides, it's not often that I get to heal an elf, so of course I came when Gil called," Raine stated, working her spell on Azul.

Azul smiled. It was the first positive thing he had heard all day, after all that talk about not being able to lay charges, and then having Robert haul him down the stairs again. "Not meaning to intrude on your privacy, but feeling your mana structure I can tell that you're a half-elf," he began, "So is your mother the elf, or your father?"

But the friendly atmosphere soon soured as Cacao was up again, ranting at the man across the table from her and waving the accusing finger. "You," she spat, her voice dripping with venom as dagger eyes pierced into the moustachioed man's heart, "why did you take my daughter away? What drugs did you use to brainwash her? Answer me!" She shot out of her chair, ready to pounce at the man like a leopard leaping off a tree.

However, the supposed suspect was surprisingly calm. Placing his hands on the table, he slowly stood up from his chair and stared his opponent down. "Officers, I strongly urge you to ask this good woman to refrain from using such abusive language against my religion. I understand that freedom of speech is a fundamental right, but so is freedom of religion," he responded, his back straight and his eyes staring forward.

"Are you kidding me?" Cabalina shouted, slamming her pen down on her notes. The usually trigger happy officer sported a slight cut and bruise on her cheek, which had somewhat faded after a quick spell from Raine. "You set up nothing but a cult here, using your so-called abilities to contact Martel or mana or whatever just to trick young girls."

The suspect slowly eased back into the chair, his eyes never leaving the officers surrounding him. "The New Church of Martel and Mana teaches everyone to respect the mana around and appreciate how its former guardian, Martel, the Embodiment of Mana, used it to keep the world together. Even the Reunification heroes had contacts with this before, and used it for good to keep the world at peace." In an act of either defiance or boldness, the moustachioed man clasped his hands in prayer, his eyelids dropping downward as he continued, "We are all in debt to this new Goddess Martel, and that's why our believers will all give back to society for this act."

"Give back to society? You're out of your mind!" Cacao screamed, her body halfway across the table. It took everything in Presea and Gil to prevent her from taking a bite out of her opponent as they held on for dear life. "Chocolat was a good girl, and used to be so helpful around the house and store. Her academics were near the top, and she's so mature for her age. But ever since she joined your group, all she does is aimlessly ramble all day, not to mention looking all dazed and flustered. What do you have to say to that, taking away her choice and future with your mindless actions?" she demanded.

The man continued his prayer pose, his eyelids refusing to lift up an inch. "There are many in society realizing our importance, and are making the change to become a part of us. What they do in their regular lives, however, we have no right to regulate. Should your daughter do anything detrimental to society while worshiping our goddess, I will take full responsibility. But until then, I cannot comment on Chocolat," he responded.

That was the straw that broke the camel's back, as Cacao scaled the table and attempted to tackle her opponent. Gil and Presea were nearly dragged in, with Cabalina having to drop the pen and shield the praying moustachioed man from harm. The foursome's wrestling on the table was completely ignored by the suspect who defiantly continued his praying, seemingly oblivious to the danger.

But there was one person who couldn't take it anymore, and it was the one that had to deal with all the aftermath paperwork. "Stop it all of you!" Cameryn shrieked from her desk. Shoving Robert aside, she thundered onto the scene and proceeded to pulling people off the desk. "This is a police station, so show some restraint, will you? Cacao, I know you care about your daughter, but you can't just harass a suspect like this!" she chided the woman, hands firmly against her hips. Cacao seemed to get the message as she eased herself back into the chair, in which the unit secretary then shot her eyes in the other direction. "As for you, you think starting something shady like this isn't enough? Now you have to brainwash law enforcement? How low can you stoop?"

Cameryn continued her rant, spraying her words to all those involved in that brouhaha. Gil and Presea could only look on in shock as the strawberry blonde unleashed her stress of having to deal with injured bodies and paperwork onto everyone. Realizing that it would be best to take off for a while, they decided to slip out the door.

* * *

The pink-haired officer and her goateed superior slid into an empty interrogation room, each with a notebook in hand as they sat across from each other at the main table. "I called Noishe already, and he said he'll come in after a little while," Gil informed the petite officer, "So now that we're calmer, what do we want to discuss?"

Presea reorganized the notes on the desk, sorting through each one as she gazed at the words with careful, emotionless eyes. Choosing her words carefully, she spelled out the entire situation for Gil. "It's obvious from going in there that something's up with them. When Azul and I were on our way up, throughout the stairway we heard sounds of arguments. When we were about to reach that room, there was the other group rumbling out. You saw them when Cabalina was helping you up, right Gil?"

Gil nodded. He did recall seeing the unfriendly bunch blasting through the stairs. In fact, Cabalina, who was aiding him, had to press them to the side to prevent being shoved off. "They were mumbling about being ripped off, and that they were seeking retribution of some sort," Gil recalled, "What do you think that means for our 'pope'?"

Presea shook her head. "He's no pope. He's just a thug and a gang leader. All this is nothing but a fraud, and it's sad that people actually believe this stuff. All these girls follow him because of the drugs." Presea whipped out a highlighter and marked the pages before her with yellow ink, "But with no official link between these factors, it's hard to lay any charges. And like Noishe said, the DA won't accept weird religions as a reason."

Just then, Noishe slipped into the room, gently closing the door behind him. There was still mass chaos from outside as Gil and Presea could hear officers trying to settle the feuding factions as well as tend to their wounds. "Pretty good on a weekend, huh? Just wait until the weekday, when there are more crimes to solve and more officers around. I shudder to think what the new police chief will think," Noishe commented sarcastically.

Gil chuckled. The former police chief, Anthony Marshall, was known for being rather relaxed and easygoing, even in everyday police operations. But from the rumours circulating the station, the new police chief was supposedly known for his by-the-book protocol, meaning there would be very little flexibility regarding policy. Looking at Presea and Noishe nervously, he wondered how well his unorthodox approach would be accepted by the incoming head. "You don't think he'd mind having my tactics around, right?"

Noishe shook his head. "I doubt it, given that we did so much for the city and the world. I'm sure he'd understand. Now, moving on," he suggested, adding his folders to the mess of papers already present, "I looked into the history of our so-called pope. His real name is Joseph Aubrey, and he's been around Iselia for less than a decade. In fact, before that, he was based out of Triet, mainly involved in small-time swindling."

Gil nodded, remembering the case quite well. In fact, he was part of the unit that was sent over there, and they nearly broke through until he learned of the death of his wife. "If I remember right, when I went undercover, the case went cold for a while, yes?"

"That's correct," the former Protozoan nodded in agreement, "But it was during your mole years, when you were mainly in Palmacosta that it started heating up. We went back to investigate, this time with Bob Ross replacing you, and almost caught them in the act. In fact, the Triet DA actually managed to file charges against them, leading to many main members having to face trial. We really thought we broke them down."

Gil and Presea looked on as Noishe presented several documents to them. "Joseph Aubrey was among the group when they were being charged. We believed that he was the one to initiate the swindling business with the clients, although he's not necessarily the ringleader. A plea deal was offered for him to point out the head of the operation for lesser punishment, which he originally accepted, so we thought the case was done."

Gil and Presea aimed their eyes at the papers Noishe pointed to. It contained the details of the bargain, and what consequences it meant for each side. "So according to this, he would have received a lighter sentence with higher chance of probation," Gil said as he read the line, "So is that why he's back on the streets harming those girls today?"

Noishe shook his head. He rubbed his hand over his mouth, his face tense and his eyes slightly twitching. "Originally, everything turned out great. But when the time came to do his bargain, he double-crossed everyone by blindsiding us with evidence, further sliding blame away from himself. Even as part of the group, the proof overwhelmed the jury into throwing out several large charges, including embezzlement. He was only hit with a fine, and some probationary time," Noishe described, pointing to the second page. It explained the complex evidence seen in the case, and how jury deliberations ultimately turned into a stalemate, therefore causing the case to be thrown out altogether.

Gil clacked his tongue. "So he basically spammed the court with a ridiculous amount of evidence towards the crime, filibustering the time, forcing the jury to cut many links originally set up to take him on against him, and ended up getting freed? That's the most ridiculous way to win a lawsuit!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air.

Presea frowned, reading over the pages carefully. Knowing the unusual way of winning the lawsuit, there was bound to be logical inconsistencies present, so what if some of that linked to the events of today? "He turned from a minor player who only enticed clients with his pseudo-religion into drug lord and prostitution mastermind in a few years, so there's bound to be a paper trail," she murmured, looking over each page, "Do you have time on Monday for me to look over some of this with you?" she asked.

Noishe nodded. "Monday I'll be at my Major Crimes office, and that's where older files are stored. I'll ask the secretary there to let you into the archives so you can give that a look over," Noishe decided, looking sincerely at Presea, "But mind you, from when he was in Triet to today in Iselia, his operation grew dramatically, and who knows how many illegal things he's done. You can guarantee that it'll be hard to track."

As Noishe and Presea deliberated on the details, there was one issue that lingered in Gil's mind. What happened to Robert Ross? Where was he in all this, and how did this turn him from star cadet into professional slacker? "Is there any information on how Bob did during this time?" he asked Noishe, a look of worry plastered onto his face.

Noishe stared at Gil, returning a complex expression. He knew that Gil had a right to know, given that he was Robert's superior, but wasn't sure how to break it to him without creating more contempt for the already incompetent officer. His eyes rolled over to Presea, who eagerly looked on, making Noishe realize that it was best if they spoke alone. "Presea, can you leave us for a moment?" he asked the pink-haired officer.

* * *

By the time Gil returned home, he was exhausted. He tossed his jacket on the couch and flopped down on it, his head tilted to the side and his eyelids felt like they weighed a ton each. His cane leaned against the armrest nonchalantly while he stretched out his braced leg, his lungs taking deep breaths as he tried to isolate himself from the world for a moment. The events at the police station forced the entire team to stay later than originally anticipated, and he was in no mood to deal with anything right now.

But a strange shadow soon eclipsed his light, as a spiky-haired teenager tiptoed into the living room and stood before him. Gil slowly peeked from one eye as Lloyd had suddenly come into his vision, his arms on his hips and a concerned expression on his face. Lloyd stood at nearly six feet, about two and a half inches shorter than Gil, so to have such a tall figure with developing muscles shading him, Gil couldn't help but take a glance. "Lloyd, what brought you here?" he asked, straightening out his posture.

"Well, I heard you come in, so I wanted to see if we should make dinner together tonight," Lloyd said, leaning his face closer to his father, "But seeing your current state, I think ordering take-out might be a better idea. Do you agree?"

Gil smiled, scooting over on the couch and waving for Lloyd to sit. The teenager slowly eased himself into the soft cushion and stared sideways at his father. Thanks to the undercover work Gil had to do throughout the past decade, it was rare that the two had any father-son moments, but the recent few months they had really gotten back on track, with the two talking to and helping each other as often as possible. Sensing his son had concerns, Gil told him everything that happened at the unit, minus the specifics on the case. "With all that to deal with, how do you recommend keeping my sanity?" he asked.

Lloyd smiled. It seemed like Gil had just as many issues to deal with as he did. "And I thought my missing group member was bad, now you have not only someone who is entirely incompetent, but he's refusing to address his actions at all? That's going pretty far," he commented, shaking his head at how Gil described Robert Ross, "So why don't you guys, as a unit, make a decision? Give him an ultimatum or something like that."

Gil shrugged. "We are a new unit, and we want all the help we can get. It just so happens that Bob has the experience and achieved fairly well in his academy training to prove that he's a good cop. Maybe he lacks the motivation, or he's affected by something he's done in the past. But whatever the case, Captain Noishe and I are both confident that he can pull through this," he decided, nodding his head determinedly.

Lloyd winced. He knew that his father, despite his years as a mole, could be very loyal to some people that he worked with. The two half-elves that he had under his wing when he returned to Iselia was a great example, as he did everything possible to make them his friends, even as they were on opposite teams. But now, with an officer that could harm the entire unit's efficiency, he wasn't so sure if this loyalty was misplaced. Was it truly a good idea to rely on a has-been? "But his record clearly doesn't speak for what's going on," Lloyd pointed out, "He's been messing up for years, so why stick by him?"

But Gil pulled a perfect reversal on his son, forcing Lloyd to rethink his entire premise. Recalling Lloyd's junior high and early high school days, Gil regurgitated the dismal academic record back to his son. "You had a C average in almost every subject, and were near D's for almost every final exam. And even with Colette and Genis, two A students, one of whom is years younger than you, helping you out, you were still moving at a sluggish pace. So why don't you ask why we didn't give up on you?" he challenged.

Lloyd stuttered a bit, his mouth opening and closing alternately. Gil hit him right where it hurt, at his academic record. Just when he was about to turn everything around, Gil had to bring up his past failures. "Dad, what gives?" he sputtered, "My academic record has nothing to do with this. Besides, it's in the past, so let's not talk about it!"

Gil cocked an eyebrow. Lloyd had his back straight, his left arm gripping the armrest of the sofa like squeezing juice from an orange, and his breathing rate slowly increasing. Obviously, his past academics were a touchy subject, and Lloyd wanted nothing to do with it, given that he was ashamed of his ignorance. But Gil sought the chance to teach Lloyd a life lesson. "One should never condemn others for what they've done when one can't get that very same task done," Gil preached, gesturing his hand like a wise sage, "You say Bob Ross is incompetent based on his records, but you're just like him in this sense, especially with your school work. But we haven't given up on you, and even convinced you to change by showing you my past. You showed me that you have the potential and are working at going back up, so why not give Bob the same chance?"

Lloyd's shoulders sagged as this was uttered, his back not so straight anymore as his father continued lecturing him. "Like you, Bob has had some events in his life that, I believe, affected him negatively. I think he merely put on the slacker face just to avoid the issue and hopes that he could snake by. While he's great at hiding the issue, I think if the time calls for it, he'll actually step up to the plate. Or put it another way, if someone as underachieving as you could turn it around, then he can certainly do it too."

Gil leaned on the couch, his eyes squarely on Lloyd. He knew that he was being blunt with his son, but it was one life lesson that Lloyd had to learn. Too often, Gil felt, Lloyd took the easy way out by refusing to think, going only with his gut and not seeing the big picture. It was the entire reason why his namesake had his legacy soiled, as Lloyd Irving of the Reunification allowed extremists who only used his Dwarven Vows for personal gain to influence his decisions and started off a decades-long civil war. True, his son had matured significantly ever since he found out about Gil's history, but so much more could be done, and Gil was intent to make it happen. "You and Bob are both works in progress, and I intend to make sure you both go back to the right path. I know you're in this with me, and I sure hope Bob is too. But the only way this can be done is if you both open your minds to others. Don't you agree?" Gil suggested, winking at the teen.

Lloyd leaned forward, cupping his chin with his hands. Gil had done so much to make life better for Lloyd, even as Lloyd was clueless regarding Gil's identity. He felt that he had already opened himself quite a lot to Gil's influence, immersing himself back into his studies and working hard again, rather than take the easy way out. So could he look at Bob Ross the same way? Nodding his head, he seemingly understood the situation at hand. "I'll try to give my partner another chance, Dad. Hopefully she can change and start being more cooperative," he assured Gil, "Besides, you did so much for everyone, so what's changing one more person? If I can be receptive to your ideas, then so can she."

Gil patted his son on the back. "That's the spirit. We all have to help each other, and be receptive of help when it's available. I just hope more people in this world can be like that," Gil responded, grinning from ear to ear, "Now, since it's getting kind of late, and I am rather exhausted, how about we order take-out? What's your preference?"

* * *

Evening didn't mean things were as easy going for another family, as Joseph Aubrey was back at his headquarters, mixing in chemical after chemical in several bottles before him. The earlier visit by police didn't make things easier for him, and added to that fact was the tumbling down the stairs and nearly being attacked by that crazy woman who claimed to be Chocolat's mother, and things were officially off track. "And I have to meet with the girls tomorrow and deal with those clients too," he spat, almost throwing the powder out his spoon and onto the scale, "Some help they were."

Suddenly, one of his assistants burst into his office, nearly making Joseph drop his chemicals onto the ground. "Your Eminence, you have a visitor," he panted.

Joseph glared at the intruder, not happy with his attitude. "Next time, try knocking on the door," he snapped, refolding the plastic container and dumping the chemical into the glass flask. He placed it on a boiler and clicked it on, taking a glance at his watch and jotted down the time. "I do have free time right now, so if you want, send the visitor in."

The assistant nodded and quickly turned on his heels. "The Pope will see you now," he called. A silhouette moved across the draped window of the office, slowly making its way into the room. The young man stepped out of the way and allowed the visitor in, with Joseph lifting his head just as the door was closed behind the guest.

Standing before the desk was an aquamarine-haired half-elf with round glasses and a white jacket. Her arms were placed before her waist, her shoulders slightly hunched and her eyesight dipping below horizon. It wasn't a sight that Joseph was particularly expecting to see, but she was his daughter nonetheless, and he thought he should at least address her, and hope she left him alone. "Well, what are you doing here? Don't you have university stuff to do?" Joseph asked, eyeing his daughter somewhat suspiciously.

"I heard that you had to go to the police station today, so I was wondering maybe something had happened. I want to make sure everything's alright," Kate explained meekly, her eyes casting to the side and refusing to look at her father. Ever since her mother died, Kate was always told not to interfere with her father's life, even as he revealed a bit more about it to her. But knowing the legal issues that Joseph had to deal with, she had no choice but to intervene every now and then.

"Look at me, which part of me shows you that I'm not alright?" Joseph retorted, waving his arms at Kate. The moustachioed man stared his set of daggers into the half-elf near the door. "Just go study and I'll provide the rest. If you want money, tell one of my assistants to write you a cheque."

Kate shrunk into the corner, trying hard not to look at her father's reaction. All her life, she had tried to satisfy her father's demands, in hopes that he would return life to her. But his life was anything but ordinary, and rarely, if ever, did he saw her as his equal. Despite this, Kate was fearful of the possibility that her father would be discovered by police, further tearing her away from him. "I'm just worried about everything, that's all," she replied, her tone barely above a whisper, "Why can't we talk like ordinary families?"

"What, and tell you all this stuff I have to do to get you into university?" Joseph roared, slamming his containers onto the desk, "You want the public to hear that your father is a cult leader, and all these worshippers are crazy? There's nothing wrong with our worship of Martel and the Embodiment of Mana. All I'm doing is using this to get us some funds to keep you in school, unlike these girls who chose to throw themselves head-first into the fray without planning their futures. Had they not joined our church, do you think they'd appreciate what's going on? Most people don't even worship anymore!"

Kate stared at her father, slowly moving away from the wall and approaching the desk. Joseph cupped his chin with one hand and sighed exasperatedly. "For years in Triet, we had nothing going right for us. And when your mother died, things just took a turn for the worse. Had it not been for my research into the Church of Martel and making this into an organized group, we'd still be living isolated. Now, I have worshippers, they see me as their pope, and we have funds going in and out. What more can you ask for?" Joseph demanded, gesturing his hand at Kate, "You say nothing, I say nothing, and we're good!"

"I know, and you keep saying that you won't elaborate because you don't want me involved, but what about all that stuff you told me to do?" Kate asked, her eyes watery behind her glasses, "I kept looking for those people because you wanted them for your objectives, but only it's because I really wanted to help you. I love you, and I want you to succeed in this, but I can't think of the consequences when the police finds out about us. We're breaking the law, so won't we be in trouble if we keep going long term?"

Joseph's expression softened, his back leaning against the chair as he mulled this over. True, Kate had done everything for him, all because she wanted to feel loved, but would this harm them in the long run? He didn't want to think that the only place where they could love each other was in a prison, so perhaps he should pick a time to stop. But shaking his head, he reemphasized his position. "Once I started as the pope, I can't just let it go. So many believers are out there, and to give up right now is nothing short of disastrous," he stated firmly, "Besides, you're still in need of my funds. Once you learned how to stand on your own completely, then we'll talk about this again."

Kate's muscles all eased as she heard that line, but her mind was still uneasy about it. There was no guarantee of when everything would be freed up for her. Added to the fact that the police was getting closer again, could they outlast them this time? "I still say there are better options for the moment," Kate suggested, moving forward, "That new apartment I moved into, one of the ladies who lives across from me seems really friendly and helpful. So maybe I could ask her for advice on investing and money saving."

Joseph looked up and abruptly interrupted Kate. "If you can deal with that, then go right ahead. As long as it doesn't bother me or won't get our operation involved, then it's fair game. Now, I'm busy, so if there's nothing more, I suggest you go home!"

* * *

The Gil-Lloyd scene is a good father-son lesson, but also something that I think certain writers on this site should take note of. I find some writers criticize others for something they have no ability in doing, and they don't listen to another opinion, even if it's beneficial to them. My friends, if you want to get better, you have to keep an open mind, or you'll never succeed in writing well. That's my mini-rant, so I'll stop there, and hope you'll join me next time


	4. Past Meets Present

Three reviews from **Phazon**, **AccessBlade**, and **Poet Bucky**. I just want to let everyone know that this chapter will be of a slower pace, as I'm trying to address some of the issues surrounding Bob, Kate, Chocolat, and others before moving onto the real action. So the only exciting thing you'll probably see here is Gil using his weird investigative techniques from "Altamira Murders" on a suspect. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. **Mandrakefunnyjuice **owns Robert (Bob) Ross. **Poet Bucky** owns Cabalina and Fil Ashton. **Fenrir of the Shadows** owns Azul Kharlan. **AccessBlade** owns Cameryn Lachance.

* * *

"I already told you, Captain. I was late to our inaugural meeting because my dog was ill. The first infiltration into the building, I was late because of traffic. My car was in the shop, I missed the bus, and couldn't get a taxi," Robert explained as Noishe crossed his arms, unimpressed by the several blunders that caused the unit much pain. It was early Monday morning, and Noishe especially requested this meeting to deal with Robert Ross, hoping to get to the bottom of his ineffectiveness, but also to quell the discontent swirling in the unit. By going to his Major Crimes Unit office, he hoped to get Robert away from the animosity.

But Robert was not exactly cooperative with Noishe, as the heavyset man made up stories and excuses that ranged from illogical to ridiculous. Other than rambling on incoherently about his dog and the traffic, Robert discussed his instincts, and how they never left him. "See, if I didn't go up there like that, would anyone of you know where the prostitutes are? No, so if anything, you have to thank me for that!" Robert puffed out his chest, his face beaming with pride while Noishe tried hard to not lose his breakfast.

Taking a deep breath, Noishe steered the ship back in the right direction. "In hindsight, what you did may have brought us closer to the suspect. But your rash action also nearly jeopardized our entire operation, which was meant to be a secret random search in the neighbourhood," Noishe retorted, his finger pecking at the desk, "Moreover, you nearly let the suspect get away. Had it not been for Presea, she may have alerted her accomplices and blew our cover. That way, the entire case is over."

"Captain, you can't be serious, right? We still brought home a suspect, and we managed to go to their headquarters and hauled people back. So we're a little banged up, and the mother was furious at the suspect, but all's well that ends well," Robert replied nonchalantly, waving a hand like it could brush away Noishe's worries.

Noishe's eyes bulged out of their sockets. After all that had happened, how could Robert take such a relaxed position towards this? They had to let two suspects go, were nowhere closer to linking the present case with the past case. Now an angry parent was threatening to take the issue to a higher level, and Robert only suggested that they let it go? It took every ounce of energy Noishe had to prevent himself from acting like his Arshis days and pounced across the desk at Robert, who had a clueless grin on his face.

Just then, a soft rap on the door caused both sets of eyes to look up. A familiar goateed face stuck his head through the doorway, easing the tension that preceded the appearance. "I heard you were here, so I decided to drop by," Gil said, still holding the doorknob, "Can I come in, or is this a private meeting?" he asked meekly.

Noishe waved him into the seat beside Robert. The pot-bellied man looked on as the staff sergeant eased his way into the chair. "I know Presea said she had some stuff to look through in your archives, and she'll be here later on today. I thought I'd get some info from you guys before she comes," Gil informed the former Protozoan.

Noishe sighed. He gestured to the files before him, causing an incredulous look from Gil. "These are the most basic things that I want Presea to cover from the Triet case, from both when you were involved and when you were undercover. Interesting to note, it was Bob Ross who replaced you during your mole years, and I have records of how he did at that time," Noishe stated, his eyes turning back to the fisherman wannabe, whose smile wavered like a candle in the wind as his name was called.

Gil rubbed his goatee. This was his chance to find out just what happened during those years that turned Robert into a big-time bust. But how could he do it without Robert knowing? Given that Robert had investigative skills matching Gil's, it would be difficult for Gil to probe him, even as Robert was lazy and slob-like. Glancing at the huge pile of files again, Gil cocked an eyebrow at Noishe. "I assume when Presea gets here, all you two will do is look over them? So what do you want the rest of us to do?" he asked.

Noishe wiped his mouth. Right now, they weren't exactly in a position to do anything, not after what had happened in the headquarters the last time around. With Cacao being overzealous in wanting an arrest to be made, it would be increasingly hard for the police to approach that place again without a warrant. But knowing that evidence was inside, the former Protozoan didn't want to give Joseph Aubrey another chance to regroup and restart their operations. His hand wandered around his face, rubbing various parts as he mulled it over. What would be the best thing to do right now?

He looked up at the two men sitting across from him, polar opposites in almost every element. He glanced at Gil, who had years of undercover experience under his belt and wasn't afraid to use unorthodox ways to get his evidence. Noishe then turned to Bob Ross, who was seemingly clueless to the situation as his eyes wandered the room. He was staring at various parts and objects, his attention span shorter than that of a Kindergartener. Two former academy stalwarts, yet two different lives, he thought to himself. Maybe this could be a chance for them to better know each other, or at least let Gil help Robert.

But for the former mole, it was like he had read Noishe's mind, as he offered a step that met the captain's objective. "Since everyone seems to be busy, and Robert has so much free time on his hands, why don't I take him back to the building we went to over the weekend and look around? I'm sure they won't mind," he suggested, "How about we go this afternoon?"

Noishe cocked an eyebrow. Gil was truly unpredictable, as he was the first and so far only officer in the unit to endorse working with Robert. Even if he was open-minded, it was totally out of the blue, and the fact that Robert was Gil's direct replacement in Major Crimes only added to the shock. "Uh, Gil, not meaning to question you, but are you sure about this?" he asked, hesitance dominating in his tone, "Besides, what can you do to convince those guys that we're not ransacking their place looking for evidence?"

Gil smiled, elbowing Robert beside him, snapping the chubby officer back into reality. "Two elite cadets can't think of enough ways to deal with that? Why did you even hire us then?" he challenged, grabbing his cane and getting ready to leave, "Besides, I want to see my own replacement in action, and give him a chance to handle the case." Gil placed a hand on Robert's shoulder and stated, "Don't disappoint me, okay?" Gil winked at his counterpart, who merely nodded. For the first time in years, Robert truly felt nervous.

* * *

Chocolat sat quietly by herself in the cafeteria, away from all the attention and noise. It had only been a week since she first arrived to this new school, and already she had gotten used to being the outcast. With her back hunched, eyes down at her food, and face away from the crowd, she felt this was one place where she could truly have some peace and quiet. Better than nothing, she thought as she took slow, small nibbles.

But her tranquility was soon interrupted as a left hand encased by a dark, fingerless glove landed onto her right shoulder, the vice grip digits squeezing the joint so hard that Chocolat almost froze in place. Grimacing hard, she dropped her half-eaten sandwich into her lunchbox and turned around, only to catch a pair of unimpressed chocolate-coloured eyes staring back. "You have some explaining to do," the owner of said eyes stated.

Chocolat stared back, her face twisting in agony, partially due to the pain Lloyd caused on her shoulder, but also due to difficult situation of ditching her group members only to take part in activities that she probably shouldn't mention. Wincing, she tapped on Lloyd's glove, requesting a release. "I don't want a dislocated shoulder," she begged.

"Oh no, I can't let you off, not after what you did to us," Lloyd retorted, taking a seat to the right of Chocolat while keeping his hand firmly in place, "You ran off for no reason even as you were hounding us on spoiling your chances of getting an A. Now you want to be a freeloader and suck the marks out from us? Not going to happen, my friend."

Colette took a seat to Chocolat's left, her facial expression the polar opposite of her boyfriend's. While Lloyd was frowning and fuming, Colette's face was relaxed, her eyes softer and her hands were placed before them, showing no signs of aggression. But nonetheless, she was also intent on finding out about the truth. "I know sometimes you have errands to run, and maybe forgot to tell us ahead of time. But you could have still contacted us, right? The school has its own email system, and every student has their own account, so surely you could have fired something over, right?" she asked, her set of clear pond-like blue eyes gazing over, trying to look into Chocolat's face.

Chocolat sighed, the pair on her either side refusing to relent. Sensing no way out, she lifted her hands off the table and surrendered. "Look, I'm sorry for not showing up, and I'm sorry for not contacting you, alright? I know you guys worked hard and such, but I just can't be with you over the weekend. I'll make it up to you, okay?" she offered.

But Lloyd and Colette refused to accept such an answer. Together, they turned their set of laser beam eyes at Chocolat, staring at her from both sides and making her very uncomfortable. From Chocolat's forehead, a slick, reflective layer of perspiration formed under her long, brown hair. "You do realize that if it continues, we'll have to take it to a higher authority?" Lloyd threatened in a somewhat taunting tone, "Cooperation between group members is a component of our grade. So if we take this little incident to the teacher, I'm sure we can see appropriate action taken."

Chocolat's mouth dropped like a rock, her expression frozen in reaction to Lloyd giving the ultimatum. While Lloyd crossed his arms defiantly, Colette chose a lenient, and perhaps more compromising path. "Lloyd and I won't really pursue further action like that, but we would like you to play your part," she described sincerely, "If you show us that you're sincere to help, you're more than welcome to stay in our group."

Lloyd winked at Colette, smiling and nodding as he stuffed his right hand into the pocket of his baggy jeans. Chocolat's eyes followed the spiky-haired teen's movement as he rummaged through his pocket, his eyes rolling around as he tried to wrap his fingers around the object. After an intense few seconds that seemed like eternity to Chocolat, Lloyd finally found what he was looking for. "If you want to start helping us, then might I suggest we take this discussion to the library?" he offered, waving a jump drive around.

Chocolat cocked an eyebrow, her eyes tilting back and forth like a metronome as Lloyd swirled the jump drive in her face. What purpose was Lloyd serving with that thing out? "What's with this?" she asked, apprehensive and suspicious at the same time.

"This is your chance to redeem yourself," Lloyd explained, trying hard to keep the arrogant smirk hidden, "As you recall, the project outline is due today, with the first draft of our written portion to be handed in this Friday. Oral presentations are throughout next week, and the final draft of the paper is due next Friday. Now, while Colette and I collected a lot of info and compiled them into neat piles of notes and an outline, we have yet to start on typing up the first draft. So, in this case, we want you to do it." He pushed the drive into Chocolat's hands, preventing her from finishing her lunch, "Just go to the library and pull it up from the drive. Save it into your own drive, or send it to your home email. Then give the drive back to me in class later today. Don't disappoint us, alright?"

Chocolat grimaced as the jump drive was pointed at her, the USB portion of the memory stick resembling a stun gun as Lloyd refused to budge. She didn't do herself any favours here, not with two people that intent on making her sweat. There was no way they were to know about her out-of-school activities, but with the project taking priority now, she couldn't escape. What could she come up with to avoid conflicts on two fronts?

Just then, Colette placed a hand on Chocolat's shoulder, her touch feeling like electricity as it jolted her from her thoughts. "I think you can do a good job," she told Chocolat cheerfully, "We both have faith in your abilities. So do your best, okay?"

Chocolat glanced around nervously. To her right was Lloyd, brandishing the memory stick haughtily in her face and refusing to let her off the hook. To her left was Colette, whose jolly nature and ability to put a smile on anyone's face made it that much more difficult to refuse. Sighing, she threw her hands up in defeat and plucked the jump drive from Lloyd's hand. Nodding in satisfaction, Lloyd signalled to Colette that it was time to go. "We're done here," he stated as the two hopped to their feet.

* * *

By late afternoon, the new Church of Martel and Mana led another prayer with their most loyal pilgrims. The young ladies were on their knees, their heads bowed, hands clasped, and eyes shut as the moustachioed Joseph Aubrey led the group. "Martel is of the mana, and is the guardian of mana," he preached, standing in the front stoically, "We must honour what she's done for us, and repay our debt with our souls. This is what the Chosen did in the past, and this is what we must do today."

"All hail mana, and all hail Martel," The girl responded, their voices barely above a murmur. They bowed their heads even lower as Joseph made ancient gestures with his hands. None of the teens spoke as Joseph faced the altar, spreading his arms to supposedly absorb the energy from the statue of a young woman positioned between two grey pillars. She had long hair, wore a long gown, and held some type of staff in one hand.

Joseph turned back to face the girls, his eyes as stern as the statue's as he glared at the crowd. "Now is our time to repay our Goddess. With the common folk so clueless about what Martel has done for us, it's no wonder why they're all filled with sin. Each person takes a bottle of holy water and move out," he instructed firmly, waving at the plastic bottles placed at a table before the altar, "Our fellow priests will direct you where to go, so follow their words at all times, and don't wander off by yourself!" Joseph ordered, waving at his assistants.

En mass, the teens got to their feet, continuing their prayers as they moved up to the statue and grabbed a bottle of water each. Bowing and kowtowing to the statue, they followed the two men dressed in dark clothing as they filed to the door, slipping out one by one and into the dark, damp stairwell. The single file march surprised two men on the way up and into the room, as Gil Irving and Robert Ross strolled leisurely to the door. "March of the penguins," Gil commented, "Or should I say, March of the Young Ones?"

Robert chuckled, waving his finger at Gil. He never expected the famous Gil Irving, undercover extraordinaire, world hero, and his current superior would have such a sense of humour. But hearing how Gil laughed it up with him, Robert felt more at home. "You got a good one there, Sarge," he replied, nudging Gil's shoulder.

However, their chuckles were not unnoticed by Joseph, who stood unimpressed at the doorway. "Officers, nice to see you again," he greeted the two, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I assume there's a reason for your visit? Because if this is another one of your searches, then I suggest you present me with a warrant first."

Robert was about to respond, but Gil intercepted his attempt. "Actually, we're not here on a search. Just like these beautiful young ladies, we're pilgrims too." Gil waved at the one closest to him, which happened to be Chocolat. "We happened to know this one very well, given our last conversation at the station, isn't that right?"

Chocolat saw the familiar face and immediately lunged out. "Yes, you'll reach your paradise for sure. All you have to do is accept help from us. I guarantee it." Her eyes were slightly glazed, but still large and bright as she stared eagerly at Gil.

Despite her enthusiasm, some of the surrounding assistants got annoyed with the delay, their eyes rolling and their hands wringing. With a nod to each other, two men came in and dragged her out. "Did you forget what His Eminence asked you to do? You have to go save people now, so why are you still wasting time talking?" they demanded. Two sets of large hands proceeded in hauling the brunette out the door while Chocolat still stared longingly at Gil, almost like she was the one wanting to be saved.

Gil and Robert looked on, not sure how to react as the room soon became quite empty. Only Joseph, the prime suspect, and two or three assistants remained, all of whom had suspicious looks on their faces. "Officers, if there's nothing more I can help you with, perhaps you will allow us to get going on our other work? We are an active religious group, and we do have lots to do," Joseph requested in a sickeningly sweet tone.

Again, Robert was about to speak, but Gil chimed in just at the right time. "Well, we don't plan to bother you too much. It's just that even law enforcement people have a lot of issues to deal with as well," he explained, his smile stretching to uncomfortably wide limits, "You see, both my friend and I have personal grievances regarding the way life has treated us. I underwent a painful ten years undercover, and Bob isn't exactly the most popular guy in the unit, thanks to the constant bullying he receives. So, after seeing how these young ladies are such active members in the community, I thought I'd come see, along with my colleague, what miracles you can perform on two has-beens like us."

Upon hearing that, the goofy smile Robert had on his face melted away, his eyes narrowing to darts as his own superior shot him down before the suspects. And the worst part was that Gil seemed completely oblivious to the surroundings, mouthing off like a comedian on open mike night at the bar, and throwing random people into his jokes. Who is this guy and what did he do to the world hero, Robert thought to himself.

But there was no time for the chubby officer to react, as Joseph placed his pope mask back on and welcomed Gil into the fold. "The New Church of Martel and Mana is always willing to accept new pilgrims, and we're always open to new concerns. Martel is the one who created and managed the mana for years, so we believe this all-powerful Goddess can do anyone and everyone benefit," Joseph responded, clasping his hand and bowing at the altar again. Behind him, his minions mimicked the action to a tee.

Gil nodded, seemingly impressed by the display. Completely ignoring the officer to his side, he struggled forward to the pope on his cane, staring the shorter man in the eye and saying something completely unexpected. "With all due respect, but I don't have concerns that can match the ordinary person. Knowing all the baggage I carry, you can understand why I'm justified to be sceptical, right?" Gil nudged and winked at Joseph.

Joseph and his assistants stared at each other, confused by what Gil meant. Even Robert was gaping at Gil, wondering what his superior was up to. "Maybe I should have worded it better," Gil continued, tapping his chin in a theatrical way, "What I meant to say is I want to make sure your Goddess Martel really knows what she's doing. I know she managed the world's mana and all, but knowing how weird of a person I can be, I don't want to be a burden to her. Know what I mean?" he asked. It was now Gil who put on the goofy smile as he wiggled his eyebrows to Joseph. Things were getting stranger by the second, making it that much harder to deal with Gil.

Joseph glanced around at his assistants, none of whom had any idea how to field Gil's question. Nevertheless, they stuck to their message, and praised Martel before the former mole. "As long as you have sincerity, and truly devote yourself to the Goddess, it is certain that your soul will be cleansed," Joseph responded, bowing and praying again. Before them, Gil tried his hardest not to roll his eyes, while Robert was clued out. "Perhaps the good sergeant and his officer may understand better by trying our holy water, as it can ease us of our problems," Joseph explained, continuing the charade, "The Goddess Martel used this very water to continue nurturing the Great Tree even as the world was in the civil war chaos, and it hasn't failed the world since."

That got Robert's attention, whose eyes lit up at the thought of this mysterious beverage. His eyes darted around the dimly lit room, hoping to locate the special liquid. His gaze finally stopped at the altar, where a pyramid of bottles was set before the grey, ceramic statue of a young woman. "Is that it?" he asked, trotting in a grabbing a bottle, "If it's going to cleanse souls, then I'll try it right now," Robert stated, grabbing the lid.

But Gil was faster, snatching the bottle out from Robert with his free hand. "I'm the staff sergeant, so I should taste it first," he snapped at Robert in a sarcastic tone. The heavyset fisherman wannabe could only stare as Gil held the bottle to his face, observing the water like it held some treasure. "Since the pope himself recommended it, why not?" Gil stated rather obnoxiously, gripping his fingers around the cap and ready to twist.

Sensing the danger, one of the young men standing behind Joseph reached into Gil. "Sergeant, I don't mean to be rude, but I don't think you should be drinking that," he called, wrestling the bottle away from Gil, who had an incredulous look on his face.

Seeing Gil was getting more suspicious, Joseph sought to intervene. "Please excuse my assistant for the rudeness, but his intentions are for the best," Joseph told Gil, shooting a fake angry look past his shoulder, "The bottles are supposedly holy water, but those ones aren't purified yet. That's why we placed it at the altar, so Martel could give it her blessing. For some truly purified water, it's these ones at the back." Joseph waved his hand to a small table behind him, as one of his assistants pulled out an identical bottle.

Gil took it in his hands apprehensively, his ice cold stare mimicking the sudden breezes swirling into the room from an open window in the back. He made quick work of the lid and dipped a finger into the water, the liquid cooling his hand as he sniffed it. "I don't smell anything special," he commented. The altar lights were directly behind him, casting a strange spotlight on him as he dipped his finger deeper into the water. With the digit still wet, he brought it into his mouth, wiping it around his teeth and his tongue like he was brushing his teeth. Around him, everyone stared in curiosity as the goateed man smacked his lips around. "I don't taste anything either, so are you sure this works?"

* * *

"Alright, so let's get started. And that means no cell phone conversations or any other distractions. That means you too, Miss Aubrey," Raine announced from the front of the classroom, pointing at the aquamarine-haired half-elf at the back corner.

"Alright, Cameryn, I got to go. Thanks for giving all that information about those investing options. I'll talk to you more about this when I get home tonight, okay?" Kate whispered into the phone. She slapped it shut and pocketed it, pulling out her notebook and pencils as Raine prepared the day's events in front of everyone.

"So last week, we went over basic analysis techniques. Now we will employ them on our first topic, which is the first few years after Reunification," Raine explained. The swishing and swirling of lead on paper complemented the TA's voice as each student scribbled down the basic information before Raine sent them on their way. With this being the first official day in which the simulation activity was to take place, none of the students wanted to leave a bad impression in the forum-like classroom.

But in the back, Kate was having concentrating, as all those investment options Cameryn told her over the phone swirled inside her mind. She felt that this was probably the only way for her father to get out of the illegal trades and still have enough to save for their futures. That was why she had to get Cameryn involved, as her knowledgeable and reliable nature and willingness to research made her an obvious choice to rely on.

Suddenly, the electronic device she placed in her pocket vibrated, sending a shaking sensation through her thigh. Grimacing, she reached for the offending object and clicked the end call button, hoping to get her back on track. Her attention shifted to Raine for a moment, just as her TA was about to announce how the groups would be formatted when the phone buzzed again. Furrowing her brows in irritation, Kate yanked out the phone, prepared to turn it off. I don't believe this, she thought to herself.

But one glance at the caller ID and she was having second thoughts, as rarely if ever did this person initiate a call to her. Most of the time it was she who called him, so to see his name flashing meant something unusual was going on. Glancing around hesitantly like a groundhog peeking out its lair, Kate dipped her head at desk level and flipped the phone open. "Hello? I'm in class right now, so make it quick!" she whispered.

"Kate, have you started talking about investing with your friend yet?" Joseph demanded, his gruff tone echoing through Kate's ears. The half-elf had to hold the phone below the desk, partially to prevent herself from going deaf, but also to hide it from view.

"Listen, if you already started talking to her, let me warn you right now," Joseph berated her, his voice blasting through the earpiece now over a foot away from Kate's face, "The police visited my place today, and while they weren't investigating anything, I don't trust them around me. And if you're talking to people, then very likely you'll give away too much, even if it's inadvertent. So I want to know how much you told your friend about us?" he demanded, his voice cutting through like a knife.

"Hey relax, I didn't say anything about us," Kate reassured her father in a hoarse whisper, trying to send enough sound into the mouthpiece without arousing Raine. There were already some students around her frowning as they took annoyed peeks over their shoulders in her direction. Nonetheless, Kate continued, "I'll talk to her again tonight and learn more about investing, but I won't say anything, I promise."

"Miss Aubrey, what's the problem?" a sharp voice snapped from the front. The students in the back corner all looked up as Raine now stood a dangerous metre or so away, her hands on her hips and her stare cold as icicles. "I thought I made it clear that phones shouldn't be used in my class, so what's going on?" she demanded.

Kate tried to explain, all the while hoping her father would end the talk. But even with Joseph's ranting, nothing spoke louder than Raine's silent but strong signal, a hand raised with the palm facing Kate. "You have a choice. You either move up to the front where I can see you and make sure you're not disturbing the class, or you forfeit today's exercise and get a zero for this week. Which is it?" she stated coolly, crossing her arms.

Kate glanced around nervously, knowing that her conversation with her father must remain a secret. But given her background, one that she could never reveal, she had to at least assure Joseph that everything would be alright. While a war raged inside her, a similar battle occurred externally as her classmates glared at her in frustration, hoping to continue their class activity, with or without her. "We're all adults here, so this shouldn't be happening," Raine scolded, tapping her foot, "So what will it be?"

Kate sighed, Raine's stare too much for her to handle. It was like she cast a huge spotlight on Kate, her eyes heating up the entire surroundings, even as she sat right under the vent. With the phone conversation still active, Kate packed up her notebook and pulled her bag slinging over the chair. "Where would you like me, Miss?" she hissed through clenched teeth, her eyes returning the glare from behind her glasses.

Raine strolled up to the front, followed closely by Kate, who clumsily dragged her stuff behind her. "I would like you to take that seat just next to Mr. Ashton over there," the TA instructed, gesturing to the long-haired student, "Fil has been nothing but a model student, having visited me at least twice during office hours last week. And since this simulation will be forum-style, I think you can learn from him," Raine decided.

Kate slid into the desk next to Fil, her eyes closing in defeat. Raine would keep her eyes on the fellow half-elf for another few seconds before returning to her lecture. As Kate resumed to her notes, Fil leaned over and tapped her shoulder. "I think you have to turn your cell phone off," he stated, pointing at the object on her hand.

Kate whipped her arm back, protecting the phone defensively. Fil raised his hands in assurance, hoping to ease her mind. "Hey, I wasn't looking at you on purpose. I just noticed that your phone was still active. I'm just hoping it won't make your provider charge you more," Fil murmured, sincerity echoing with every word.

But the irritation wasn't about to leave Kate that easily, as the half-elf glared at Fil the same way Raine glared at her earlier. Looking at the phone in her hand, she finally slapped it shut and placed it on the desk, her attention going back to her notes as she felt it was the best way to ignore the supposed star student. Fil's eyes were about to turn back when he accidentally noticed the caller ID. Is Joseph Aubrey related to her, he thought.

* * *

Cabalina was in the unit early next morning, standing outside of Noishe's office located behind the unit and waiting patiently for the captain to arrive. After going over evidence from the past cases, including the one at Triet, with Presea and the other officers, she was chosen by the group to present their case to the captain to further their investigation. She tapped the file folder against the side of her leg, her eyes wandering the room a bit as she waited for the former Protozoan to arrive. "Strange, he's not usually this late," she muttered.

She checked her watch again just as some rustling echoed from behind her. Even without turning, Cabalina could feel someone flop into a chair, a soft sigh echoing as things were settled onto the desk. "Good morning, Cameryn. Rough night?" she asked, edging out from the hallway.

The strawberry blond secretary glanced up and gave a weak smile. There were still dark bags under her eyes, and her hair was much stringier than it usually was. "I was up for a little while looking up stuff, and I didn't realize how late it got until I was done," she told Cabalina, "I managed to finish the stuff I have to help you guys compile, or I'm sure you'll all be asking for my head right now," Cameryn chuckled feebly.

Cabalina returned a sympathetic grin, edging closer to Cameryn's desk as the two women talked a bit more. It wasn't often that the unit was this quiet, given the strange people, suspects or witnesses, they often had going in and out. "What were you doing staying up so late?" Cabalina asked caringly, leaning on the wood.

"Oh, nothing much," Cameryn replied, trying to stay upbeat despite her appearance, "This girl living across from my apartment moved in last week, and judging by her age, I'm guessing she's probably a freshman, sophomore at best at university. So not only is this her first chance at moving out, it's also her first chance at managing all her finances by herself. She wanted some help on saving up money, so I was more than happy to offer some advice. Despite being kind of quiet, I think she's really smart." Cameryn nodded.

Cabalina sighed. "You know, it's kind of a two-edged sword. On one hand, living alone means you can get more experience in dealing with everyday problems, and making you mature faster. On the other hand, it's always easier with someone helping you, and it's not so lonely either," she stated, listing off the points one by one, "My little brother Fil is in the exact same spot, as he's currently attending university while living with me. You think your friend might attend the same classes as Fil?" she asked.

Before Cameryn could answer, Noishe breezed into the room, his bag loosely slung in a diagonal way across his body. "Sorry for being late. The traffic was terrible," he quickly apologized. Sliding a key into his office, he opened the door with a click and invited Cabalina in. "Please, take a seat," he huffed, slapping the computer on.

Cabalina waited for Noishe to get ready before starting. "So Presea and the rest of us went over the archived files you brought over from your unit, and we found out a bit more to what Joseph Aubrey has been doing between his Triet days and today," she reported, pulling out the notes, "After he blindsided the court in Triet and got an early release, he supposedly disappeared from the Triet scene. But later, he showed up in Iselia, with new people and targets, and slowly became the drug lord in this region."

Noishe nodded, his fingers dancing on the keyboard. "I'm aware of these events, and as I recalled, we did bring him in a few times, but we never laid charges. Because of the strange nature of that case, where the evidence was always spotty at best, we never truly placed him as a priority, and turned our focus elsewhere," Noishe described, his mind split between the monitor and the years in which he coordinated some of the investigation. Back then, he was also involved in Gil's undercover case when Gil was sent to Asgard and Palmacosta, so his memory on this domestic case was a bit blurry. But nonetheless, there were some things that he remembered, such as how Robert Ross lost his faith in being a policeman with each failure. "What else was there at that time?"

Cabalina flipped the page, her eyes scanning each line carefully. Even with her usually rash nature, Cabalina was intent not to mess up and create more trouble, as she realized Robert Ross played the role well enough already. "According to the records, you guys suspected that Joseph Aubrey began making alliances with various drug traffickers and dealers, making his operation grow larger. It was also at this time that he used his so-called divine skills to set up the New Church of Martel and Mana, dubbed by the unit as 'the Cult of Martel' or so to speak," she described, making a mental note to jot down those important points later on, "That's when you guys also suspected that he made kidnapping or luring young girls or teens an integral part to his operation as well."

Noishe nodded. "I do recall that, but under the basic fundamental right of freedom of religion, we can't press any charges. As long as the girls seemingly want to follow the religion, it's a no-go for us," he stated, looking up from his monitor, "It's been like that for years, where the girls seem all weird and woozy. When we test them we find items like amphetamines in their bodies, but whenever we link this to Joseph, he always claims that he has nothing to do with it. He says his job as the pope isn't to 'regulate what people do in their free time,' so they always walk free." Noishe sighed, leaning back on his chair, a helpless expression on his face. "Gil and Robert went back to the headquarters yesterday, and they were offered so-called holy water. But when Gil tried it, he said nothing weird happened. I'm guessing they switched the bottle on them, meaning they're free again."

Cabalina glanced back at Noishe, sensing the frustration level building as silence dawned on them both. The ventilation fan's rumbling only added to the intensity as the two mulled things over. "I'm going to go out on a limb here, but do you think it'd be good for us to just keep an eye on things with our current suspects?" Cabalina asked, "I mean, we have Chocolat, and we have records on where she attends school. So if we go with that, do you think that may lead us somewhere?"

Noishe tapped his chin, his breathing matching the fan's humming as he ran the idea in his mind. "If she's absent, the school will have records on it. If she's not, then the only way she can go to Joseph is after school. So if we keep a cruiser at the school until about an hour after school, we could observe her," he thought out loud. Looking up, his lips curled up into a grin. "Cabalina, your idea might just work out."

* * *

"Alright class, I have received all your project outlines yesterday. I've only had the time to skim through them, and haven't really given any of them a grade, but I did find a lot of interesting ideas." The teacher waved around a folder with the assignments inside before the class. She spent the first half of the last period of the day discussing more material, but decided to spend the second half helping the groups plan for their project. "With first draft due on Friday, three days away, I was hoping that we hear some ideas on how to plan for dealing with such a big project," she announced.

Lloyd and Colette, who sat next to each other at the front row, smiled and nodded at each other. They didn't spend almost the whole weekend at the library for nothing, and with Chocolat supposedly doing parts of the first draft, they felt they had this all wrapped up. That's why they didn't even hesitate when the teacher asked them for a plan. "I think you should have some ideas on how to deal with this, so why don't you share it with us?" she suggested, nodding at the teenage couple right before her.

The two nodded at each other again, this time letting Colette do the talking. "We wanted to start with a research portion first, getting as much information as possible before we actually start narrowing down," she explained, starting to go into detail about what they did at the library, "Then we did the outline, as it was assigned, where we have to focus our attention on what's relevant to our topic, and…"

But the teacher raised a hand, cutting the blonde off completely. "It's great that you're telling me what you did, but that's not what I asked. The question was: what ideas do you have on a plan for your group to deal with the project?" she asked again.

Colette and Lloyd cocked an eyebrow at each other, not sure what the teacher meant. Wasn't a plan all about getting the things done step by step? The silence in the room and the several sets of eyes, especially that of their teacher, gazing into them made their hearts pitter-patter. Swallowing hard, Lloyd cleared his throat and tried again. "We wanted to narrow the subject field first, so that's why we went to the library to begin with, so that we know what the subjects covered. It's after the outline was handed in that we would begin writing a first draft, in which all members must participate…"

Again, the teacher interrupted. "I think we're a little confused," she announced to the class, "A plan is defined as what method you work out in advance before you use it on a task. And right now, both answers I got were descriptive, not methodical." She glanced back down at Lloyd and Colette and continued, "For example, if you want to tell me what your plan includes, you can say a bit along the lines of what each member is intended to do, what task must be finished when, and so on. So please, try again."

Now Lloyd and Colette were truly apprehensive, as they realized their current state would require breaking to their instructor about Chocolat's lack of participation in the project. They had offered to give her a second chance, and they weren't intent on spilling the beans on her yet. Should they just suck it up and tell the teacher a white lie, just to save trouble? Or would it make things worse, as the teacher would accuse them of lacking a plan? "Well, it's not like we don't plan," Colette began, rubbing the back of her head, "It's just that we as a group haven't hammered anything out completely yet."

But contrary to the expectations of Lloyd and Colette, that answer happened to be the one that impressed the teacher least, as she stared at them with her arms crossed over her chest and said, "That's usually one of the best ways to lose focus in your project. It might be better if you guys stuck around and do some planning, or the rest of the week will be long and hard for you," she half-warned and half-threatened, "As for your group's outline, I will take a look at it. But I want you three to stay until a plan is complete."

Lloyd and Colette sighed exasperatedly, their eyes were pools of fury as they mulled over their options. This was a distraction that they didn't need, and it didn't help that Chocolat had a tendency of disappearing randomly. Staring at the brunette seated behind them with contempt, the teenage couple somehow felt even more aggravated when all she did was gaze around the room aimlessly, that strange smile, looking eerily fake, stretched across her face. Could she act in a way that did not cause contempt from Lloyd and Colette? With their marks at hand, the two decided to tempt fate.

* * *

"Wow, this is a waste of time," Azul mumbled as he leaned on the driver seat of his car, his eyes nearly shut from exhaustion. Because of the discussion with Noishe at the unit earlier, it was decided that Azul and Presea would be the ones to go to the school and keep an eye on Chocolat, at least to make sure they knew of her every move. But it turned out to be harder than they had imagined, as they sat stoically in Azul's Chevrolet Malibu, watching the seconds blink as they waited for the final bell to ring.

Presea shrugged. "Well, there's not much more we can do other than this, so why not go for it?" she responded, stretching her arms. It was no secret that Azul and Presea were among the quieter people in the unit, opting to just go about their business rather than make a fuss like some of their other colleagues. But still, there was really nothing for them to do, except for sitting in a car and waiting for someone to approach them. That was truly trying on their patience, even as they were the ones with the calmest of minds.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the bell sliced through the streets. Teenagers slid past the car, making things harder for Azul and Presea to see as some spoke on cell phones, some teased each other very loudly, some cooing and cuddling in open displays of affection, and some just stood there waiting for a ride. "You got anything?" Azul asked, squinting through the bodies.

Presea shook her head, her face wrinkled like a cantaloupe. They continued their gaze into the mountain of people waiting for the bus or a ride from family or friends. But there was still no sign of Chocolat, making the officers wonder if they went to the wrong exit. "I'll check the map of the school again," Presea offered, spreading a large sheet on her lap like a picnic blanket, "She might have left through another exit."

Azul nodded, keeping his eyes on the crowd as Presea tried pinpointing their location with respect to the entire building. Just then, a particular student caught his eye, as a young silver-haired half-elf trotted up to a similarly-sized girl with brown, somewhat messy hair. "So Genis, where's Lloyd? Is he picking you up today?" the girl asked.

The boy called Genis shook his head, waving his cell phone around. "He wrote me a text message saying that he had to stick around after school," he replied, clicking a few buttons on the phone, "Said something about drawing up a plan on a project."

The girl frowned just as Azul squinted his eyes at them. Wasn't Gil Irving's son named Lloyd? And didn't someone say that Lloyd and Chocolat supposedly attended the same school? If they were in some classes with each other, then life just became easier for them. "Presea, how old is the suspect? And how old is the sergeant's son?" he asked.

Presea looked up, her eyes filled with uncertainty as Azul caught her off guard with the question. Racking her brain, she tried recalling as much of what Gil told her as possible to her elf colleague. "Gil's son recently turned seventeen, I think, so he should be in grade twelve. Chocolat is underage, so she should still be in high school. I did look at her school records, and I do believe she's around the same age, so they should be in the same grade. As for whether they're in the same classes, I have no idea," she replied.

As the two officers continued filing through whatever notes they brought with them, the two students outside discussed what further step they should take. "My mom usually picks me up after school," the girl replied, pulling on the strap of her backpack, "Back where I used to live, there were these three or four friends who knew me since I was in kindergarten, and we would carpool to school every day. But now that I'm here, there's really no carpool anymore, unless you want to count Lloyd. Mom's coming today, so if your grandmother is busy, you can stay at my place until she comes. I'm working at the barn until evening anyway, so come help out."

Genis flipped his phone open and dialled for Lynn's number, hoping to inform her on going to Bucky's barn and asking her to pick him up there. "I don't have too much homework today, at least nothing that I can't handle quickly," he informed Bucky as he pecked at the numbers, "So do you always have barn days on Tuesday?"

Bucky smiled. "Back where I lived, before I had my own barn, Indy was kept in my neighbour's barn, and I go help them out every Tuesday and Thursday after school. I usually spend about three hours after school there, so I won't go back to my house until around six or seven at night. I also go every weekend, and I'd spend pretty much the whole day there, so let's say from nine a.m. to maybe three or four p.m." Bucky looked into the distance, reminiscing her past days. Shaking her head, she refocused onto Genis and held his shoulder. "But that's then, this is now. I have my own barn, and I can deal with it whenever I want. Besides, I'd love to have someone to help me, like you."

Genis nodded. Just then, his call connected. "Hi Grandma, it's me. I know you're busy, but I don't have a ride home, so I'm hoping to stick around with Bucky…" The two soon became out of earshot of Azul and Presea as they wandered down the street, leaving the Chevrolet Malibu and its passengers by their lonesome. By then, many students had already filed away, leaving the officers to stew in their thoughts.

Azul stared back onto the school grounds, the wind blowing through and picking up various juice boxes and paper lunch bags as the area resembled a ghost town. The elf glanced at his watch, wondering when their suspect would come out. "Should we take a walk around, just to make sure she really didn't slip out another way?" he asked again.

Presea sighed exasperatedly, her eyes staring back with a tinge of helplessness, identical to the time when Gil and Zelos brought Regal and Altessa to her. Although they wanted to cure her Exsphere, she was so weak and apprehensive at the time that her only thought was to reject their help. But now, with the Exsphere removed and this new opportunity to prove herself, she felt she had been reborn, and wanted to make this first case in her new unit count. "Let's do it," she replied determinedly, "I'll take the map."

Azul turned on the ignition and pulled the car away from the street. They thought it might be safer pulling into the parking lot, where they wouldn't be spotted as easily, all the while they could reach the other doors quicker. As Azul eased the vehicle into the slot, rolling up the windows and turning off the key, three teenagers stepped out from the very door they were parked at earlier, none too pleased at what happened inside. "We got the plan set, we had it approved by the teacher, and all we have to do is setting it in action. If Chocolat messes it up, she'll get it," the lone boy hissed, staring daggers at the brunette.

Chocolat shied away, resembling her first day in class. The blond girl grabbed the boy, trying to calm him down, "Come on, Lloyd. Give her a chance, maybe she'll get it done. She's dealing with the first draft now, and she wants good marks too, right?" she asked, a sincere gaze directed at Chocolat's direction. That did a bit better than the scold from Lloyd, as Chocolat was at least willing to look up. "But anyway, let's go cool off before going home. Let's get a slurpee from across the street. You in, Chocolat?"

Chocolat shook her head. "I got things to do, so I have to leave now. Bye!" she quickly stated, shooting down the street and leaving Lloyd and Colette to collect their thoughts. What was Chocolat hiding that prevented her from doing the project?

* * *

That's all I got so far. I promise there'll be more action and faster pace next time, but until then, enjoy and Happy Holidays!


	5. What Was She Thinking?

Happy 2009, my friends! What a great way to greet the New Year with a new chapter of my story. Just want to thank **AccessBlade, Poet Bucky, Phazon, **and **Fenrir of the Shadows** for their reviews. I'm finally going to move on certain issues now, such as Robert's past, the Cult starting to fall apart, Kate and Cameryn getting closer, and Chocolat's double-life nearly being revealed to Lloyd and Colette.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. **Mandrakefunnyjuice** owns Robert (Bob) Ross. **Poet Bucky** owns Cabalina and Fil Ashton. **Fenrir of the Shadows** owns Azul Kharlan.** AccessBlade** owns Cameryn Lachance.

* * *

"Alright, alright, I'm coming. Hold your horses!" Robert Ross shouted as the doorbell rang repeatedly, sending the heavyset man out of his bedroom and lumbering like a bear down the stairs. The clumsy officer was upstairs enjoying a calm afternoon nap when a visitor suddenly interrupted the peace. He was intent on ignoring whoever it was, assuming that it was just a marketer. But the person refused to back down, making Robert hop out of bed and put some clothes on, albeit very irritably.

"I'm here, what do you want?" he snapped, whipping the door open and getting a whiff of the breeze. However, one quick look upward and he immediately changed his tune. "Oh, Sarge, this is a surprise. Why the visit?" he asked, pulling his vest tighter as he greeted his goateed superior, who stood calmly at the door.

Gil stared at him with neutral eyes, his face completely relaxed as he eyed the interior of the house. "May I come in?" he requested nonchalantly.

Robert eased the door open, allowing Gil to step into the house. Strange odours blasted into Gil's nostrils as the staff sergeant eyed the area, looking for waste or animals of some sort. Indeed, napping comfortably on the living room carpet was a small terrier, curled up into a perfect ball. "So, you do have a dog," Gil commented, his nose wiggling a bit as he tried to filter the smell away, "This is the one that was sick that time?"

Robert nodded, the goofy smile returning to his face. "That's the one who's sick, and I had to take him to the vet," he explained, gesturing at the canine napping happily on the ground, "And you know, the vet takes a long time, and I couldn't get in line. A bunch of other things happened, and then I wanted snacks, and that made me late…"

Gil raised a hand, stopping Robert completely. The room was completely silent as the man with a cane stared at Robert with serious eyes, piercing right through his soul. "I don't want to talk about that event, it's very minor anyway compared to what I originally wanted to say," Gil described, "There are a few things regarding this case that I've been doing some homework on. I was hoping to get to the bottom of it before I can move on. That requires your complete cooperation. Do you understand?" Gil asked.

Robert froze, not sure what Gil was trying to pull. Earlier, at the New Church of Martel, Gil was all relaxed and sarcastic. But now he turned all serious, as the goateed poker face was the only thing in Robert's vision. Cracking a smile, Robert placed a hand on Gil's shoulder, offering to bring him to the couch. "Why so serious now?" he replied, easing them down, "You were all fun and games earlier, so what's going on?"

But Gil would not waver from his pose, sitting down casually but firmly. "No, Bob, we have to do this," he insisted, his eyes never leaving the officer's round face, "I have to know what happened during those years when I was undercover, so that I can find out why you're so uncaring of police affairs all the time," Gil suggested.

Robert winced, wanting to turn the subject to something else. All his life, he had been trying to avoid those painful years of working the Martel case, and Gil's presence only reminded him of what a failure he truly was. "Why are you pursuing this issue?" he asked, helplessness laced into his tone, "Are you here to put me down even more? Are you here to remind me of how I'm supposed to be your replacement in that case when you went undercover? Must you rub salt on the wound?" Although he tried his best to hide it, Robert realized that his eyes had watered up, and tears threatened to spill out.

Gil bit his lip. He had never seen Robert in that much pain before. Knowing that he was Robert's predecessor, he understood the pressure that was heaped onto him when Gil first left the unit. Any failure would not just weigh heavily on Robert, but the rest of the team as they would view him with contempt as well, wondering why Noishe chose such a pathetic person to replace a star officer. That was why, for Gil, he had to be extra careful with his words, knowing that any negativity would cause Robert to withdraw even further into his shell. "Don't you worry, because I'm not here to make judgments," he responded, raising his hands sincerely, "I just want to hear you out, as a friend."

Robert sighed. He seemed so cornered, almost like he was forced to tell the truth just to save his hide. But then again, for the past years, there had been no outlet for him to release this pent-up frustration. Everyone in the unit treated him the same way: a has-been officer and former academy stalwart that trashed his career over simple mistakes he had made. But still, why would the man he replaced want to ask about his past? It seemed unusual that the one most interested in his wellbeing was the one whose legacy got soiled. "Why are you doing this?" he demanded suspiciously, his eyes narrowing to darts.

"Because I know what it feels like to have lost everything," Gil answered simply, "I thought I was at the bottom when I joined Cruxis, with those half-elves harassing me no matter where I went and what I did. To them, I was inferior, and I endured both physical and emotional beatings throughout my time there. I had to suffer a good ten years before I finally cracked the case, and throughout the entire time I tried to keep my life intact. Only the memories of my wife, the growth of my son, and the support of my friends kept me going. I know what it's like to be that person, that's why I want to reach out."

Robert exhaled deeply, finding his sleeping dog to be quite captivating as his licked his lips in thought. He knew Gil wasn't one to make judgments about people unless he had ample evidence. Moreover, he heard stories from Noishe and Presea that Gil could be very loyal to those who worked with him, and refused to harshly punish or reprimand them when they made mistakes, even when he was in Cruxis. But given that he was the staff sergeant, would this information leak out to the others, and cause them to humiliate Robert even more? I'm not sure about this, Robert thought.

But it was like Gil had read his mind, as the goateed man placed a hand on his officer's shoulder and assured him of confidentiality. "The most I'll say to the others is that this conversation has changed your life. They will not know what was said in this room," Gil promised genuinely. His dark eyes stared into Robert, giving the large man the energy to redeem himself. The has-been officer straightened up his back, turning to look back at Gil with much more confidence. Finally, the sad chapter of his police life was about to end, and he would do it before his very own predecessor.

* * *

"Grandma, you're here!" Genis exclaimed as the Nissan Altima grinded to a halt at the driveway of the large acreage. The young half-elf had been with his horse rider friend for the entire afternoon while waiting for Lynn to arrive, and while with Bucky he toured her barn and got involved in some barn chores as well.

"Genis, you seem excited to see me," Lynn called out from the driver-side window as her grandson bounded up to her. Genis pulled open the left back door and threw all his belongings into the backseat. He then skipped across the front and, with a wave to his friend at the front door, hopped into the passenger seat and slipped his seatbelt on. With another cheery wave, Lynn pulled the vehicle into reverse and left the acreage, hitting the streets again as they headed for home.

"What's so special about today?" Lynn asked Genis as they pulled back onto the main road, the sights of the suburbs just a few kilometres ahead, "You seem really happy to be hanging out with that Bucky girl, so what did you do there that's so fun?"

"Oh man, you should have been there to see it! We were in the barn, and she told me all about managing the stalls, and dealing with animals, and it was great!" Genis exclaimed, his arms flapping and swishing around. Lynn had to lean slightly to the left to avoid getting distracted behind the wheel. Nonetheless, she allowed Genis to continue, with the half-elf explaining, "Bucky said that the stalls had to be cleaned on a regular basis, as it's good for animal health. The main issues to look for are mould, which can grow around the stall sides, and urine from the animals. In Bucky's own words, 'they have to use the bathroom too, and if it's not in the pasture, then it's in the stalls.'"

Lynn chuckled. Despite her seventy-two years in existence, Lynn had relatively little experience in living in rural communities, so all this was quite new to her as well. "So what else do you have to note in barn stalls?" she asked, her appetite for knowledge suddenly bulging, "Is there anything inside that may be hazardous to the animals?"

Genis nodded, his eyes wider than saucers as he described the stall layout. "The stalls have straw inside for the animals, and I was working on the one belonging to the goat while Bucky did the one for the horse. For starters, there can't be any loose objects on the ground. Stuff like rope or string must be removed, as it'll cause tripping and injuring the animals. I stuffed a quarter of Goatee's stall with hay, and had to pour lime over the wet spots where Goatee urinated. Other than that, it's just general sweeping and filling up the water tanks for them. It's not too difficult, at least for my first time."

Lynn took a side glance at Genis, eyeing his clothing for any dirty materials. Given that her grandson was in a barn, she would expect dustiness from his shirt or vest, but both seemed relatively clean. "What did you do with your clothes?" she questioned, "I'm under the impression that the barn would be dusty and stuff, but your shirt and vest both seem relatively clean. Did you work without a shirt on?"

Genis laughed. "No Grandma, I didn't go shirtless. I just took off my T shirt and put my vest back on unbuttoned. The barn isn't really that dirty, as Bucky and her family really kept it in top shape, especially given the short time they've lived here. Besides, I told Bucky if she did anything that made my belly button dirty, she'll get it. So that's why everything's fine and dandy for now." Genis lifted his shirt, gently pulling on the top rim of the deep depression on his abdomen. "Speaking of which, how's yoga?"

Lynn shrugged. She gently stepped on the brakes and flicked on the left signal light as their vehicle neared the intersection. "You know, the usual," she replied, her eyes darting around for incoming cars, "I'm pretty much repeating the same exercises from all those years back. Remember, I'm only doing this to keep my personal health in my years, so I'm not going to do anything drastic. Although from a recent phone conversation with Ricardo, I've been told that yoga and mana casting have similar principles. Is that true?"

Genis chuckled and nodded, gripping onto the side handle bar as Lynn turned into the residential neighbourhood. "Just like yoga, mana casting requires complete control of the body, and considers the centre of the body to be around where the belly button is. All mana go through it in some way, shape or form. So even as I unleash a spell with my hands, it still must travel through my belly button," Genis answered.

Lynn mulled the words carefully. True, Genis did have some fascination with his navel since his days as a toddler. In recent years, he mentioned it less and less. But after being taught some basic mana spells, his obsession seemed to have returned. "I must ask, is that why you became so fanatical for it recently? It's due to what Ricardo said?"

Genis laughed. "Learning mana spells did make me appreciate it even more, that's for sure. I only flaunted it in Altamira because I wore only swim trunks most of the time .Otherwise I'm just like any other person, except I clean my belly button daily," Genis ended with a flourish, a grin stretched across his face as he wiggled his belly button.

Just then, Lynn pulled into the street that led to their house, and saw a familiar sight stepping onto the sidewalk. "Isn't that Gil?" she asked. Slowing down the Altima, she pulled over to the sidewalk, halting right behind a parked Audi V8 as a goateed man with a cane hobbled out of a nearby house. "Gil, I didn't know you're dropping by!" Lynn shouted, pressing the passenger side window down.

The tall, dark-haired man smiled as he approached the Altima's passenger window, leaning heavily on his stick as he stuck his head in. "Hello Lynn, and Genis," he greeted, "Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm not around to pay you guys a visit." The three chuckled at Gil's revelation. "I'm visiting a colleague from my unit, just checking on to see how he's doing. I didn't realize that he lives so close to you guys until I saw the address. Anyway, what about you guys? You just picked up Genis from school?"

Lynn and Genis grinned. "No, Genis went to a friend's place after school, when I was too busy to pick him up. Do you remember Bucky, that horse rider we met in Altamira? The one that supposedly helped you crack a case?" Lynn recalled, craning her neck to the right to look Gil in the eye, "Believe it or not, her family bought this acreage near the outskirts of town. They moved in a short while back and she invited Genis over earlier."

Upon hearing that, Gil tilted his head back, a wide smile stretching across his face as he reminisced of that short young girl talking to him about being bowled over by a suspect. She claimed she could withstand it because horseback riders were used to "being trampled by animals with big feet" or something like that. "So I assume she goes to the same school as Lloyd and Colette probably. And with Genis just next door at the junior high, the four of you see each other really often?" Gil asked.

Genis giggled. "You can't believe the crazy stuff we do!" he exclaimed, rubbing his hands together. The open-fingered gloves scratched against each other, the fabric making a muffled sound as the silver-haired boy continued, "First day we saw each other again, Bucky and I got at each other's belly buttons. Then she invited me over to her barn and I saw all the exciting stuff they do. And today, we actually did some chores together. She was fantastic, teaching me all this cool stuff. You should visit her sometime soon!"

Gil shook his head. "You and your fanaticism again, where will it end?" Gil responded, tilting his head back again, "So is there any plan for you to get on a horse any time soon? I assume Bucky must be excited getting her own student to tutor, right?"

"Well, not so fast," Lynn chimed in, waving a hand between the two males, "If Genis does want to ride a horse, then the very least he could have done is convincing me first. There are certain risks to doing that, and as his only guardian, I do have a right to know what they are. Perhaps if Bucky and her family are willing to invite us over one day, we can discuss the issue. But until then, I'd exercise extreme caution."

Genis' smile nearly flipped upside down, his body shivering as if Lynn just dumped cold water on him. "You don't have to be that much of a killjoy, do you? It's just a thought," he pouted, crossing his arms and pursing his lips tightly.

Gil chuckled, placing a hand on Genis' shoulder. "Hey, you don't want to walk around with a broken leg like me, so count your blessings," Gil retorted, rubbing the vest, "Anyway, I'm just about to head home. Lloyd's probably waiting for me, so I don't want to keep him alone for too long. I'll drop by another time, alright?" Returning a wave of his own, Gil limped over to the Audi V8, unlocking the door and hopping in.

Seeing that Gil was not ready yet, Lynn decided to pull out first, swerving her Altima around the V8 and waving goodbye as she sped down the street. "That Gil, you have to love his sense of humour. He's really gotten back to normal, after all those years in that nasty mole business," she commented, turning the last corner and into her block. The car pulled into the Sage driveway, the passenger waiting patiently as the garage door slowly pulled up. "You and Raine are really lucky, Genis. Despite our family tragedies, we never had to go through something Gil did. That's why I'm so pride of him and Lloyd, and that's why we should continue helping them in any way we can."

"Yeah, I'll say," Genis replied, an evil smirk suddenly appearing onto his face, "You know that only those with elf blood can manipulate mana, and humans can't do it unless they have Exspheres. Maybe I can help Lloyd out with mana by jabbing the lights out of his belly button." The young half-elf guffawed as the car edged into the garage's cement walls. Lynn turned the ignition off and hit the garage door controller, closing it behind her as Genis grabbed his book bag from the back. Neither person noticed a teen with shoulder-length brown hair and yellow clothing file down the street, going right past the Sage household as she soldiered onto the one place that would keep her safe.

* * *

"What's the deal, Aubrey? What are you trying to pull? All your girls seem so out of it today, especially that Chocolat!" The man known as Daggertooth berated Joseph at the New Church of Martel and Mana as they gathered inside Joseph's office. What was just another day of business for the twosome became somewhat of a disaster when many of the teenagers did not perform up to expectations. And Chocolat, the so-called star of the show, fell completely flat, making many clients upset. "She's the best you have, but today she was the worst. I'm going to lose business like this!" Daggertooth yelled.

Joseph dismissed his opponent with an arrogant wave of the hand. "I expected you to come with the numbers all prepared. We still have payments to make to each other, and yet you bother me with such a trivial issue?" he snorted, unimpressed eyes glaring back in return. The dimly lit room made it so only parts of their faces could be seen clearly, keeping some in the shadows. Had Daggertooth not sit so far, he might have seen Joseph's lips twitching, his moustache bouncing slightly in irritation.

"Trivial issue? She arrived late, did a couple of people, and off she went," the man with flat top hair roared, his arms waving in frustration, "No offence, but I was under the impression that it's about fair profits. You offer me these girls for my business, while I supply you with materials to keep your stupid church alive. Without my help, you think you'd still be here?" he snapped, jabbing a challenging finger in Joseph's face.

Joseph returned the gaze, his lips sealed into a thin line as he stared Daggertooth down. "If there's truly a problem with the girls, then bring them back and I'll deal with them," he replied bluntly, "Until then, don't waste my time."

Daggertooth twitched his eyebrow, the small veins on his temples bouncing as he shot lasers into Joseph. "It's always like this, isn't it? We always claim fair profits, but in the end you always take in more than me. What happened to fifty-fifty? What happened to supplying each other? You really think you're a pope who can order people around? Dream on!" he shouted. With that, he pushed off the table, his chair shoved to the back and crashed down as he stormed out the door, slamming it shut emphatically.

Joseph shook his head, not happy with how the deal went. His so-called papal empire was falling apart at the seams, and nothing seemed to be working right. He tapped his pen on the table agitatedly, pondering his next move. Press forward with the operation and his rivals, and probably even the police, would catch on. Pull back now, and he would lose status in the field and lose number of supporters, even though he could just administer more drugs into the holy water. Either way, the situation was risky. "I've slipped through in Triet and I've slipped through in Iselia. I'm alive and well in the field for almost ten years, so why is everything going wrong now?" he asked aloud.

Suddenly, the shrill ringing of his cell phone knocked Joseph out of his train of thought. Glaring at the metallic box-like object offensively, he flipped it open and glared at the caller ID. "What now?" he muttered as he clicked to answer, "Hello?"

"It's Kate," the feminine voice responded from the other side. Sounds of papers being shuffled and reorganized echoed through the earpiece as Joseph's frown deepened, all the while hearing his daughter explain clumsily, "I have my neighbour with me, and we're going over investment and insurance options. We want to know which one you'll be most interested in. Do you have time to talk?" she asked almost pleadingly.

Joseph scowled. Another trivial matter was made into something bigger than it had to. As if he didn't have enough troubles, now his daughter wanted to discuss insurance? "I already told you, you deal with it and leave me out of the trouble!" he snapped, slamming the pen down onto the desk, "Can't you even do it yourself?"

"Well, there are a lot of options, and Cameryn wanted to know which ones suited our needs better," Kate explained. Although her voice was still hoarse from insecurity, she was definitely more confident and decisive than before, speaking with some authority as she sought to describe each plan to her father, "Their basic plan covers all banking and other investments like stocks and mutual fund portfolios. A little bit of additional money would give one that covers health insurance, both for young and old. Add all that to their new savings plan, and we seem to have a really stable financial situation."

"Don't forget, we have to have both you and your father's identifications for the buying part," another young woman's voice could be heard cheerfully reminding Kate from the background. Joseph didn't know who this visitor was, but he wasn't too pleased that she basically controlled his daughter's life, and might even pry in on their secrets. But the voice continued enthusiastically, "Once you're all set, I'll book the appointment with the agent for later this week and we'll get you two covered in no time."

"You want ID? Fine, I'll get it to you," Joseph responded harshly, almost biting off the mouthpiece of his cell phone, "Will Social Insurance work for you?"

After some chatter from the back, which only made the already aggravated Joseph even more annoyed, Kate came back with an answer. "Social Insurance is fine. I'll just take your card, or maybe a paper photocopy for them to look at," she explained.

"Then fine. You'll get what you want, but don't be calling so much when I'm busy with my work," Joseph snapped, slapping the phone shut and rudely cutting the talk off. He inhaled deeply, his eyes wandering the dim room, hoping for an answer from the darkness. Except for his own breathing, the building was silent, as all his assistants had already gone home. I'll require extra help if I want this to work out, he thought to himself. With that, he pulled out a list of phone numbers from his drawer, scanning down each one and flipping his phone open. "I hope these guys can do the trick, or else we'll be in big trouble," he murmured as he pecked at the dial pad for the first number.

* * *

"Do you know why the sergeant called this meeting?" Cabalina asked as the entire team gathered in the conference room. The first thing each person was told when they entered the unit was there would be a meeting regarding some past information to the case, and he would require everyone available. But other than the basic details, Gil refused to divulge more, leaving everyone confused as they eyed each other for answers.

"He didn't give me any details, except that it'll be a resource that we came to expect the least. Captain Noishe knows about it, as he's the one who approved of the meeting. But he's at Major Crimes today, so I can't contact him," Cameryn explained as she took a seat in the conference room as well. Her eyes scanned the round table as officers filled the seats apprehensively. Azul was at the front seat to the far side, his tall elfish body moving in with grace and stealth. Beside him was Presea, with her usual look of determination but this time mixed with slight reluctance as she pulled out the chair beside Azul's. The two had been to the school Chocolat supposedly attended earlier that week, and their initial report was that they could not spot Chocolat, and had yet to return since.

Cameryn turned her eyes to Cabalina, the one at the front seat closest to the door. The usually brash and trigger-happy officer was not even near her seat, instead opting to pace around and fling her arms anxiously. Even with her fiery attitude, Cameryn could see even Cabalina as being somewhat unsure for the first time, not knowing what they were about to face. "And let me guess, Bob Ross is late as usual," Cabalina stated in a snarky tone, "I guess that's one thing that we can always count on."

Across from Cameryn, Azul and Presea snickered, shaking their heads at their always late, if not absent, colleague. To an extent, Cameryn expected this, as she heard from Noishe that Gil could be unpredictable, meaning surprising things were not out of the ordinary. But working with this unit, there was one constant. Robert was always the one to miss out, and whenever he did show up he would ruin things. Shaking her head, she tried to focus on the task at hand rather than think about their chubby co-worker.

Then, as if right on cue, Robert trotted into the room. "Good morning everyone, how are you all doing?" he asked, waving his hand at the group. That got the attention of those seated, as Robert looked like anything but himself. Instead of the tacky fisherman's outfit, Robert had gotten himself a proper shirt, a beige-coloured dress shirt tucked neatly into navy blue slacks. His puffy vest was also discarded, changed into an older dark suit jacket left unbuttoned. Add the carefully combed hair and a slight trim to his usually dark five o'clock shadow, and the unit thought a total stranger came through the door.

"Can everyone please pay attention? The meeting's about to start," a voice called from the doorway, snapping the officers out of their shocked looks. They saw Gil clop up to the front, standing beside the tidily dressed man. Placing a hand on his shoulder, Gil informed the unit, "I've spoken with Bob a few days back, and instead of having the rest of the week off, as Captain Noishe and I promised him, he decided to come back to work early and share some information from the case. And that's why we're in this meeting."

There were a few seconds of silence, followed by sneering and snickering from the officers. None of them could believe what was uttered, as they wondered how this complete failure and pathetic excuse of a policeman could possibly help their case. "You can't be serious, right?" Azul asked, snorting through his nose while trying to keep his eyebrows from floating away, "Why should we listen to Bob, who only knows how to bowl us over?" He tried hard to stifle his chuckles, which sounded more like sniffles.

"Yeah Gil, you should really stop joking around. There's nothing Robert can do to help the investigation, unless you count the nonstop tardiness, clumsiness, and outright incompetence as help," Presea added, rubbing her temple sarcastically, "Why don't we ask Bob to take a seat and stop blocking the view? We do have a meeting, right?"

However, Gil was unimpressed by his officers' attitudes. He took a side glance at Robert, who shuddered visibly, but not enough to let the other officers see him. Robert's fingers tingled, threatening to curl into a fist as he absorbed blow after verbal blow. Sensing the situation getting out of hand, Gil decided to intervene. "I think you're all being unfair to Bob," he interrupted, shouting over the pointed laughter, "You shouldn't pick on him like this. So he's made some mistakes in the past, but can anyone of you say you didn't? You shouldn't paint him the lone troublemaker, you know."

"Correction," Cabalina chimed in, raising her hand in objection from her now-seated position, "Bob's not just a troublemaker; he's trouble, period. He shows up late to every meeting and case, he's only caused injuries to all of us in police chases, he nearly let a suspect loose, not to mention he did no research in helping us get closer. If he's going to be lecturing us on techniques on dealing with the case, then we're out of here." Cabalina keyed her eyes onto the large man at the front, two laser beams piercing through Robert's already downtrodden face.

Gil pursed his lips, inhaling deeply as he tried to formulate his next argument. He knew it would be controversial to apply it, but for the sake of his unit and the case, he had to try. "I understand that all of you have frustrations with Robert's attitude, but as my friend Zelos Wilder will say, you're not the only victims here," he retorted, silencing the murmurs immediately, "And did anyone of you ask Robert what led him to becoming all messed up? Or did you all just assume he's born like that?"

The officers stared back in shock, not knowing what hit them as Gil unleashed a bombshell. Beside him, Robert straightened up a bit, glancing at Gil a bit more confidently. Nodding slightly to Robert, Gil took one step forward and looked over the large table, his pose like an orator as he lectured to his team. "I would argue that all of you have done him wrong as well, calling him names and putting him down. I just heard Azul earlier comparing Bob to a bowling ball, and Presea mocking his weight. In this sense, you both were guilty of a personal attack," he stated, gesturing towards the two on his left. Turning to Cabalina, he pointed out her comment on troublemakers, "You said Bob was trouble, period. But considering how trigger happy you were in our first chase, had I let you pull out your gun and you wounded someone, who would be the one causing trouble then? And Cameryn, you chastised Bob when the unit was nursing their injuries, claiming he caused it all. But since everybody got hurt, why are you blaming Bob alone when it's all their medical forms that had to be attended to?" he challenged.

The team paused, their faces stoic as Gil's point drilled into their minds. Had they been unfair to Robert? Robert had been incompetent and even lazy, but should they have given him more time? And how many of them actually reached out to Robert, as Gil had mentioned? Suddenly, their original intent to get rid of their chubby colleague was not so hardened anymore, not after Gil's speech. "I understand that Bob did us all wrong, and I understand that not too many in the force are willing to forgive him yet. But I've had a good conversation with him on Tuesday, when we gave him the rest of the week off. I got to understand Bob a bit more, and I realized that there's more to him than his appearance. So please, give him a chance. Maybe we can change him, and in the process, change ourselves, for the better," Gil pleaded, his eyes becoming pools longing for an agreement.

The silence in the room got increasingly uncomfortable for Robert, who could see the officers darting their eyes at each other, wondering who would make the first move. Seeing the situation becoming intense, Gil nudged Robert, encouraging him to make his pledge to the unit. Glancing at the team nervously, Robert placed his hands before him, clasping and unclasping them as he thought of the right thing to say. "I don't know if any of this will make you believe my attempts, but I certainly realize that reconciliation is a mutual process," he described, his voice hoarse and husky, "And knowing the difficult task ahead, I'm willing to play my part, regardless of whether you'll accept me or not. I am still a part of this unit, and I must do what I can to help you guys succeed. But if you are willing to accept my offer, then I'm willing to do my best for you."

Then, after a tight minute or so, one officer finally spoke up. The chair behind a short, pink-haired officer screeched as Presea stood as tall as her small stature could make her. "Gil and Bob have a point. When I was under Cruxis' control for three years, all I did was leak information to the other side, making it impossible for any justice to be served. I understand most of you will point to the Exsphere, but I still feel I must redeem myself. If Gil gave me the chance to do it by joining this unit, then I feel it's only right that we give Bob the same chance," Presea decided, nodding firmly.

Then, one by one, each officer nodded, agreeing with Presea. "I've always said that by being an elf, I can help the unit understand other races better, but yet I don't even understand my own partner," Azul replied, one hand brushing away the strands of hair covering his eyes, "If I want to practice what I preach, and truly be a committed member to the force and community, then it's only right that I offer reconciliation to Bob."

"Bob and I don't usually see eye to eye, but at least he's keeps the unit lively," Cameryn chimed in, nodding her head and staring sincerely at Robert, "It really is a great feeling to belong somewhere, especially after what you went through the last six years. People wanted to throw you out of their units, and you had no place to go. If you can truly change for the better, then you'll always be a welcome addition. I give you my support, Bob, and I wish you the very best." Cameryn beamed, causing the heavyset man to ease his pose. Instead of being stiff as a board, Robert dipped his head to each speaker, smiling graciously as he accepted their helping hands, feeling truly accepted again.

Finally, Gil set his eyes on the lone officer who had not spoken so far. "Cabalina Ashton, everybody's waiting for you. What's your verdict?" he asked, crossing his arms, "Are you still intent on bailing on us, or will you give Bob another chance?"

Cabalina sighed. Her superior was giving her quite a dilemma, as there was no easy way for her to edge out of this situation. "Well, I suppose you're right. Since you never called me out publicly for the pulling my gun thing, then it's only right I refrain from using harsh language on Bob," Cabalina accepted, nodding her head slightly, "From the bottom of my heart, I'm sorry for claiming the unit isn't a place for you. I was angry at you, and I still am, to an extent. But I'm willing to let that go and work with you again. You have my confidence, Bob. Just don't lose it again, okay?" she replied.

Robert nodded astutely, resembling the star cadet rather than the clumsy oaf he had been. "I swear I will do everything I can. We'll make this work, no matter what happens," he stated enthusiastically, "I'm happy to do this with you."

The entire unit applauded as Gil asked Robert to take a seat at the front. Stepping to the white board, he picked up a marker and scribbled some notes on. "Now, let's go over what we know about the case so far," he stated, making neat notes from a green pen, "We have a quasi-cult organization, a load of drug-laden water, and young ladies who do anything the pope, or Joseph Aubrey, would say due to this brainwashing scheme. All we know is that Aubrey went from semi-unknown in Triet to drug lord in Iselia in less than a decade. But has anyone found anything new about those years in between?" he asked, turning back to face the unit, "Most likely the answer is no, but don't worry, because we have a person who can fill us in .Yes, he's the very person who received a new lease on his police life. Bob, please come on up!" Gil announced, gesturing to the large man.

* * *

It had been a difficult week for Chocolat, as she was split between duties for her school and her church. While her service to the people in cleansing their sins was done, she could not quite get her mind around her tasks. Somehow, every time she was put in a room with one of her subjects, the image of Lloyd jabbing that memory stick in her face like a sword kept recurring. It was almost like he did it to taunt her, threatening to not just destroy her academically, but threatened to expose her secret to the world. "Get that paper done, or you're going to get it!" Lloyd's voice kept echoing inside her head.

And that was where Chocolat found herself, seated uncomfortably in the social studies classroom, her eyelids heavy with dark clouds underneath them, waiting for the rest of the class to file in. Although she had not spoken directly with Lloyd and Colette, she knew that they probably expected this torture to continue for her. "Lloyd's just a big bully, and Colette's just a wolf in sheep's clothing," Chocolat murmured to herself, "They all think they know what they're doing, but why don't they consider what I have to do? The Goddess is the only one who can make judgments, not them."

And as if right on cue, the couple stepped into the room, holding hands and smiling at each other, slightly cuddling like they had not a worry in the world. Chocolat had to admit, other than Lloyd and Colette, the only person getting more positive about her so-called busier schedule was her mother, who was satisfied to see her home earlier. At least she was home for dinner on time, and would go to her room afterwards to work on the report and other homework. But still, despite the fact that she wanted the marks, and the fact that she still loved her mother very much, her dedication was still to the Goddess Martel, and staying in this lifestyle was only going to hinder her more. "Only Martel can save our souls," she recalled, "And if Lloyd, Colette, and my mother knew what was best for them, they would let me continue with my work."

"Alright, class. May I have your attention please?" the teacher's clear voice shot down any of Chocolat's train of thought. The chattering soon became inaudible as the woman's voice took over, announcing to the students, "Today is Friday, and that means the first draft of your report is due. I would like everybody to bring it to the front, and then we'll start a little discussion about your topics to see what you've discovered so far, and what we learned from them. So if you please?" she requested, tapping the front table.

Immediately, representatives from each group shuffled up and handed in their first drafts, with many group members whispering and mumbling positively to each other. Most had smiles on their faces, knowing that they had done well on this. It would only make Lloyd and Colette the odd people out, as they eyed at Chocolat nervously as the girl slowly opened her binder. "You did bring it, right?" Lloyd demanded.

Chocolat didn't lift her head, seemingly ignoring Lloyd as she searched through the pages. Lloyd could only wince as Chocolat took her time, scrunching up his face as the rest of the class filed past them and back into their own seats. Colette placed a hand on Lloyd's shoulder, trying to calm her boyfriend down as she took sneak peeks at their third group member. "Chocolat, please hurry," she pleaded, her eyes tilting back and forth between her and the teacher approaching the table like a metronome.

The hands flipping the pages moved in slow motion, the ticking seconds struggling to proceed as Chocolat finally pulled out a document. "Don't worry, I have it," she stated in an annoyed tone. She gazed at them with a discerning eye as she trudged up to the front, leaving Lloyd and Colette irritated but relieved. Chocolat's eyes were directed at the desk, oblivious to the teacher and her classmates as she slapped the assignment onto the table. Then, as silently as she went to the front, she plodded back into her seat.

Seeing the papers were all in, the teacher tidied them and placed them at the corner of the table. "So, to see how everybody is progressing, I've decided to take today's class to discuss some of the issues you've been doing for your projects," she announced, leaning an arm on the desk, "I'll go by order of these papers here. We'll let you have a few minutes to share your ideas with us, and see if they start can start some discussions. So, the first group to comment: Lloyd, Colette, and Chocolat," she read from the first essay.

Lloyd and Colette glanced at each other, wondering who would speak for them. They didn't even bother looking at Chocolat, who sat behind them nonchalantly. After a few seconds of deliberation, it was decided that Colette would introduce the topic to the class. "We're doing the reformation of the Church of Martel, as well as the role of the Chosen after the Reunification," she publicized, her eyes looking to her classmates in a confident manner, "We wanted to look the roles of the church and the Chosen before the Reunification, how the roles have changed after, and consequences they have today."

The teacher nodded, seemingly impressed by the scope of the project alone. "I really like that," she complimented the group before the entire class, "Specific but concise, so we should expect a very smooth sailing for this group, provided they made a specific plan, as discussed a few days back. Right?" she asked, staring at them eagerly.

This time, Lloyd would do the talking, and sounded more confident than ever. "We did have a plan," he replied, sitting straight and tall, "Our plan is to have us all put together some part of our information onto paper, all the while proofreading and making sure of accuracy. We didn't manage to get together over the last few days, but through electronics, we did get that done," Lloyd finished in a flourish, a wide beam across his face as he got it off his chest. Colette reached over and patted him on the shoulder, while Chocolat, seated quietly behind them, started to smile as well.

The teacher nodded again, approving of their hard work. "So why don't you share some of your discoveries with us?" she suggested, sitting down on the chair behind the front desk, "Start with the roles of the Chosen and the church, and then the implications."

Colette cleared her throat. "The Chosen from Sylvarant was inactive, thanks to the disbanding of the religious organizations. So instead of actively doing her duties, she tended to travel the world performing other good deeds," she explained, listing off a bunch of items on her laundry list-like notes, "She did settle down and became a charity organizer, but not before she was considered a traitor by a group called the Vanguard for betraying Sylvarant's interests in favour of Tethe'alla's, at least in the Vanguard's mind."

"The Sylvarant Chosen was deemed a traitor because she supposedly abandoned Palmacosta during the Purge of Blood, in which the Reunification hero Lloyd Irving was rumoured to be part of," the teacher added, nodding her head, "So what else did you find out? What about those around her, or Tethe'alla's Chosen, or the church?" she asked.

"The Tethe'alla Chosen was pretty much doing the same thing, except in a more visible and flamboyant way," Lloyd described, flipping a page in his binder, "Just like the Sylvarant Chosen, he chose to defend my namesake rather than condemn him. It turned out that the Vanguard sent an imposter after Lloyd Irving the hero, framing him for the Purge. Other than that, this Chosen was mainly interested in reforming the Church of Martel from within, and making it into a more accountable and positive body."

And as if right on cue, the teacher nodded for a third time, beaming along as she heard out Lloyd and Colette, "All of those facts are true, and it's no secret that these changes had to be made. But what implications do they have for the role of the church today? Obviously, when you look around, there is no more Chosen, and the church isn't as powerful as before. In fact, it's virtually nonexistent, so what happened?" Her eyes would land on the girl behind Lloyd and Colette, the one member who had not spoke.

Lloyd and Colette turned over their shoulders and eyed Chocolat, who sat not-so-straight anymore in her seat. Her smile was wiped off, her eyes darting around as she felt every set of eyes dawn onto her. "Yes, I do want Chocolat to answer," she could hear the teacher's voice, albeit a bit slurred to her ears, "It is a three-person group, so I do want all three members to contribute to our discussion. So Chocolat, please finish it off."

Chocolat swallowed hard, her hands suddenly becoming ice. While it was true that she did the entire first draft, Chocolat had actually done none of the research. Rather, it was all Lloyd and Colette, who merely handed her their notes to be pieced together. She never really read through their stuff, and barely remembered any of the details thanks to her out-of-school activities. Nonetheless, she took a deep breath and tried regurgitating what she had learned from the pope. After all, he represented the New Church of Martel and Mana, so the changes should be quite minimal, right? "We're all waiting for you, Chocolat," the teacher stated, amidst the snickers from some of her classmates.

Chocolat licked her lips to moisten them, her brain taking her back into the smoky and stuffy worship chamber as she recalled her chants. "The New Church of Martel and Mana is one that worships Martel in a different way," she began slowly, describing each image inside her head, "While Martel was seen as a goddess before Reunification, she's actually the embodiment of mana, and guarded the tree that held the world together for the years after Reunification. Because of this, she's in charge of keeping our world safe, and that's the way she is to be worshipped today," she ended, satisfied with her response.

The same attitude could not be found in Lloyd and Colette, who eyed each other in confusion. It was not what they had done in their research, as none of these traits were present on that memory stick. They immediately rifled through their notes, frantically searching for Chocolat's words. The action was not unnoticed by the teacher, who had a frown of her own as well. "While some of the information you shared with us is accurate, such as Martel becoming the embodiment of mana, the rest I have some questions on. I don't recall the church being rebranded that way at all. And the worshipping method…"

"But it's what the church people say," Chocolat insisted, her eyes staring ahead determinedly, "We all owe Martel the task of guarding our mana, and that's why we all have to give back. It's with people like Martel, young ladies who are pure of heart, who will lead the charge and eliminate the sins from other people. All we have to do is drink the holy water from Martel, and offer it to others in order to set them free…"

But the more serious Chocolat became about her beliefs, the less serious the class took it. Amidst guffaws and laughter from everyone else, the people surrounding the brunette saw her as some extraterrestrial creature, eyeing her suspiciously and wondering if she lost it. "Holy water? Eliminating sin? Where did that come from?" her neighbours retorted, pointing their fingers at her and taunting her every word.

"It's true! Martel herself purified the world, and now she's placing the task to us. The Pope himself said so!" Chocolat exclaimed, her hands balling into fists as the cynical stares from her classmates flushed her face red like a tomato. Her breathing and pulse got quicker, her heart pounding as angrily as her mood as more people shot her down.

"What Pope is that? The one the Tethe'alla Chosen placed in jail for regicide? Since when did you listen to murderers?" another student sneered, causing another wave of laughter. Things were not going well for Chocolat, who felt the desks of the classroom emptying and the walls and ceiling collapsing in on her, trapping her like an insect.

The noise was silenced abruptly by three thunder-like cracks from the front. The entire class, including Lloyd and Colette, glanced up as the teacher had her hand on the white board, her gaze visibly frustrated by their immaturity. "Class, just because one of us gave inaccurate information, doesn't mean we should humiliate her. In fact, it's our responsibility to help her get it right. For that, I'm very disappointed in each and every single one of you." She glared at the students, not one raising a peep. Turning back to Chocolat, she recommended that the girl stayed behind after school. "And Lloyd and Colette should join you as well, just to get to the bottom of this."

Lloyd's jaw nearly hit the floor at the revelation. Taking a side glance at Colette, who had a look of worry of her own, Lloyd raised his hand immediately. "Madam, I strongly object to this," he stated, his voice visibly shaken, "Colette and I have nothing to do with this. In fact, it's not even in our notes, and I doubt it's in the report…"

But the teacher would have none of Lloyd's complaints, as she raised a hand and stopped the spiky-haired teen. "Then all the more for you two to stick around, because I have to know why one person said one thing and the others said something else," she retorted, her look of irritation enough to drive shivers up their spines and goose bumps up their arms, "If this is true, then there's something wrong with your group chemistry, or maybe it's a lack of planning. My decision on this is final."

With a quick flip of the paper, she turned to the next group and beckoned them to start. From his desk, Lloyd could only slam his pen in anger, cursing under his breath as he pondered what Chocolat was up to by ruining them like this. Even the ever optimistic Colette was down, her hands rubbing her temples as her eyes closed in thought. Where in the world did Chocolat get that information, and what was she trying to pull?

* * *

Just also want to say that I have a new year's resolution: currently I'm dealing with a personal dilemma in which my efforts to help people seemed to have rubbed them the wrong way, as I've been accused of being pushy and arrogant. I resolve, in 2009, to show a softer, gentler side, where I'll use more positive enforcement rather than blunt reviews. It doesn't mean I'll go easy, but it just means I'll do it in a gentler way. For more info, please check out my Beta-Reader profile, as I'll start my services right in the New Year.


	6. What Else Do We Know?

Just two reviews this time, from **AccessBlade** and **Phazon**. I'm guessing it's because everybody's going back to school, that their schedules are all messed up and can't visit. Oh well, there are higher priorities in people's lives, and I respect that. I'm going back anyway, so I shouldn't be complaining, right?

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. **Mandrakefunnyjuice** owns Robert (Bob) Ross. **Poet Bucky** owns Cabalina and Fil Ashton. **Fenrir of the Shadows** owns Azul Kharlan. **AccessBlade** owns Cameryn Lachance.

* * *

Cameryn sighed as she reshuffled all the papers on her desk. She was supposed to leave earlier this afternoon, having to deal with some business with a friend. But when the meeting in the morning had Robert revealing his past to them, there was a whole new issue to investigate, and the unit was intent on taking advantage of this new source and cracking the case even more. "Every bit of information requested from other units must go through appropriate paperwork," Gil reminded her as they left the meeting room, "If we want this stuff, we have to contact the secretaries from those units and have them prepare it for us, even if we ask them to place it on priority."

And that was where Cameryn found herself, pounding away at the keyboard on the computer and waiting anxiously for responses from the requested places. She tapped her pen nervously on the desk, hoping someone would grant her the permission. But while her eyes were on the computer, her mind was nowhere near it, as the story Robert told about his involvement in the Triet case kept swirling in her mind. "He must have gone through a lot to work that hard for the results, only to get them collapsing right back into his face," Cameryn murmured to herself as she scanned the unit for Robert.

The heavyset man was, in every sense of the word, the polar opposite of what he was when they first met him. Rather than running to the staff lounge or wandering the halls with leftover snacks, Robert was tight at his desk, his eyes never leaving the papers from his old case and the computer screen. With nothing more than his memories to work with, Robert was completely immersed in his work, not even raising his head except for a thank you to one of his colleagues when they handed him a cup of coffee or some snacks. With only the curly hair showing from above his cubicle, Cameryn couldn't help but sigh and shake her head. "He's finally turned it around after all these years," she muttered.

"Cameryn!" a voice called from above her desk snapped the redhead out of her trance and back into reality. Cameryn's eyes shot up to see Gil tower over her desk, his eyes calm but concerned. "Cameryn, I know you have to leave shortly, but I was hoping you can at least get me the summary to today's meeting before you take off."

Cameryn scanned her desk for a second, her hand floating over the papers like a falcon ready to dive at its prey. The digits hovered over the neatly stacked piles before dropping down on the one at the far right corner. The unit secretary gripped the papers and handed them to Gil. "They should be complete, so they're good to go," she informed her superior, who picked them up and read them silently before her. Cameryn could only look up, her eyebrows dipping slightly in worry as Gil flipped the page. "So Bob really went through a lot those years, huh? And that's what he's hiding all this time?" she asked.

Gil nodded, refusing to peel his eyes from the pages. "The main thing that turned Bob from star cadet to has-been is the way this failure affected him mentally. He was so intent on solving the case and proving to everyone that he was a worthy replacement to me when I went undercover. He placed all his eggs in one basket, targeting each member of this gang," Gil described, clacking his tongue in interest, "But what he didn't realize was that Joseph Aubrey had other plans, and outsmarted him just once."

Cameryn rubbed her temples, her eyes still peeled for the cubicle with curly brown hairs sticking out. Who knew that behind his mask of sarcasm and laziness was a true warrior, using every means possible to gain justice. His rock-hard determination was eroded slightly from the day Joseph Aubrey was released from the court, but that flame was relit as Gil inspired him. The staff sergeant never truly revealed what was said when they met at Robert's home, but Gil did say it was something like redemption and how he had a chance to correct his past mistakes. "We're all victims here, and we should be the ones getting out of this mess, rather than rely on someone else," Cameryn recalled Gil stating in that conference room, and found it the most inspirational thing ever said to her.

"I actually found a few parts of Bob's speech interesting," Gil commented as he handed the papers back to Cameryn, who slid them neatly into a folder for the goateed man, "Bob said even though he was close to giving up when Joseph was released, he never stopped investigating the case. He managed to find out a bit more about how the man made his move from Triet to Iselia, and was aware that he had a family of sorts. Bob said Joseph was a single dad with one daughter who was in her teens when he came to Iselia a few years back. But when things became more difficult for him to track, that's when he gave up on the case, and ultimately his career. Very interesting, if you ask me."

Cameryn shrugged. She didn't really see how linking Joseph's daughter into their investigation was useful, but if observing her meant making it easier to understand the man behind the cult, then all the more for them to act, right? "Anyway, I'll leave you guys to think about that. I've got to head off now, so I'll see you on Monday then." She grabbed her personal items and stuffed them into her purse before grabbing another manila envelope from the desk. She slapped the power switch to her computer, hearing it whir off as she slipped into a thin jacket before leaving.

Gil smiled and nodded at Cameryn. "So who's the friend you're giving advice to regarding investment options?" he asked in a friendly tone, "Is she someone you knew for a long time? Or do you just perhaps want to help out someone in need?"

"More towards the latter, I say," Cameryn replied, slinging her purse over her shoulder, "She's a new tenant in my apartment, and she lives in the unit right across from mine. She moved in not long ago, and said she's a university freshman. I'm guessing it's her first time out of her house, and she probably wanted some help. So when she asked me for money saving and investing advice, I had to give her a hand."

Gil cocked an eyebrow. He never knew that Cameryn had a new neighbour going to university. If Lloyd ever chose to move out for college, then maybe Cameryn could offer some advice to him as well. "If my son does choose to go abroad for his studies, provided his marks are good enough, do you mind giving him some pointers?"

Cameryn chuckled. "I don't consider myself an expert, Sergeant, so I won't go that far yet," she responded, waving her hand modestly, "But if Lloyd does choose that route, then I won't mind looking into it. Just keep me posted, okay?"

* * *

"Finally out of class, all that time wasted, all because of a stupid mistake made by somebody who doesn't know the facts," Lloyd groaned as he reached for his locker, turning the dial in almost slow motion. After getting publicly humiliated for Chocolat's messed up information regarding the religion reforms after Reunification, the teacher asked the group to stay behind and hammer out why there were inconsistencies. To nobody's surprise, Chocolat went into la-la-land again, mumbling about the great Martel and whatever, causing the teacher to further question their teamwork skills.

With Colette staying positive by refusing to openly condemn Chocolat, and Chocolat only paying lip service, Lloyd ultimately received the brunt of the punishment, taking the fall for failure to communicate and coordinate group efforts. The only good news was that the teacher would ignore the slip-up if they handed in an outstanding final copy, or else the group effort marks would nosedive. "Seriously, she's been trouble the day we met her, so why not just let her have it?" Lloyd demanded to Colette, grabbing whatever items he had in the locker and roughly shoving them in his bag.

Colette's eyes were pools of worry as she stared back at Lloyd. She knew that her boyfriend was extremely upset by what happened, and wanted to do everything in her power to soothe his anger. But she still felt that, as a team, their mission was to help each other, and not let one person take the fall, no matter how incompetent that person was. Besides, there was something about Chocolat that Colette felt was unusual, and it might help her as a person if Chocolat merely stated it openly rather than kept it shut. "That's why we should reach out to her," she replied as Lloyd slammed his locker shut, sending tremors through the metal, "If we can get her through this, we'll all be better off."

"Get her through what?" Lloyd retorted, his eyes flashing in annoyance, "She's missed our work sessions, she shows up to class half-dazed, she only did the report when we threatened to hammer her marks, and now she starts going off with some mumbo jumbo about holy water and purifying souls. How can we help someone like that?"

But Colette refused to budge, pulling on Lloyd's elbow as she leaned her face closer to his. "But remember what the final Chosen was like," she countered, "She's not that strong at first, but her will to change the world for the better never wavered. Even when she was the last of her kind, and was roundly criticized for not taking more action, she still did what she could to help the world. If we're to do a project on her role, then at the very least we should learn a lesson from her and offer the same chance to Chocolat."

Upon hearing that, Lloyd could not help but chuckle, shaking his head slightly as Colette continued badgering him. Part of him wanted to chide Colette for being so naïve, but the other part wanted Colette to keep at it, as this was the part about her that he grew to appreciate the most. Even when Colette was turned into a monster during Gil's Cruxis case, she never even thought about giving up, trying so hard to reach out to Lloyd even as her mind was no longer under control. "That's so you, you know that?" Lloyd replied, the grin still visible, "It's just like you to give everyone a chance, to reach out to them in any way possible and staying positive just to make everyone happy." With that, he leaned in for a kiss, halting their march to the parking lot as their lips locked for a few seconds.

When their lips finally released, a thought shot through Lloyd's head as he went back to the research he did on the last Sylvarant Chosen. Staring back at his girlfriend, he had a sly grin on his face. "I think I know why you're like this, so positive and giving others a second chance. It's because you took after the last Chosen, isn't it?" he asked, "And do you know why? Because you two have the same name: Colette Brunel."

They pushed the doors open, the mild late summer air soaking their faces as they approached the MINI Cooper. It was another one of those days where, because of their unexpected delay, Genis had to take a ride from someone else. Luckily, Lynn was free today, meaning she could take the young half-elf home. Lloyd clicked on the automatic locks from his keys, causing two soft whoops to echo through the air as they placed their bags on the back seat. Colette pushed the passenger seat back to its normal position and was about to hop in when something on the far side of the parking lot caught her eye. "Chocolat," she identified the lone standing figure, "she's still here."

Lloyd raised his head, staring past the roof of his car and into the distance. Oddly enough, there stood the girl clad in yellow clothing and brown shoes, keeping to herself with nobody around her. Sensing that the school grounds were pretty much empty, it made Lloyd wonder if they should give her a ride. "You think it'd be dangerous for her to be all by herself, but I doubt it looks like she's waiting to go home," Lloyd commented.

"Maybe just drive over and ask her, just to make sure," Colette suggested, her eyes still peeled for Chocolat. There was something unusual about Chocolat's presence, and it might lead to answering some of their questions regarding why she was always off when they had meetings, and never managed to contribute to their project. "Shall we?"

Lloyd nodded gravely, realizing the implications for this move. They immediately got into the MINI Cooper and started up the engine. With the quiet hum of the hybrid, Lloyd was about to pulled the car into reverse when suddenly, a grey minivan pulled up to Chocolat, with two or three men in dark jackets jumping out and surrounding her. "Oh my goodness, what's happening?" Lloyd bellowed, leaning forward to his windshield.

Colette rolled down the window and stuck her head out for a good look. "Lloyd, this isn't good. I think she's being abducted," Colette reported, a grim look on her face.

Lloyd nodded. With a look of determination on his face, he floored the MINI Cooper and whirled it ninety degrees in the parking lot. "Hang on to your hats," he told Colette, whipping the car into drive. He stomped on the gas as the tires screeched beneath them, propelling the MINI Cooper towards Chocolat, who was already grabbed on each side by two men. "When I tell you to, open the car door!" Lloyd called to Colette, all the while reach to the back seat for his window washer and wiper.

Colette nodded, her eyes never leaving the scene. Chocolat spun herself around, nearly slipping the grasp of the two men, but only to have the third block her way. She was now surrounded from all sides by three attackers, with nowhere to go. Beside her, Lloyd kept one hand on the wheel while extending the wiper with the other, turning it into a long, staff-like weapon. He placed it on his lap, sticking the rod part onto Colette and asking her to hold onto it. "When I open the door, you jab it out and hold those guys off. That'll give Chocolat enough time to hop in," he instructed, aiming his car in the right direction. Just as he reached the group, he swerved left hard, braking ferociously and welding tire marks onto the asphalt below. "Now, Colette!"

Colette threw the door open and rammed the staff out, jabbing the man closest to them straight in the back. The attacker tumbled forward, collapsing into another man and leaving an opening in the formation for Chocolat to escape. "Chocolat, get in!" Colette shouted as they swung the staff around, knocking the third man on the shins, making him drop to his knees. "Come on, what are you waiting for?"

Chocolat nodded nervously, whizzing past the fallen assailants and hurrying into the passenger side back seat. She clutched her backpack to her chest as Lloyd shortened the wiper, tossing it over his shoulder into the driver side back seat as Colette slammed the door shut. "We got to get out of here, Lloyd!" she told her boyfriend.

"Already on it," Lloyd replied, flooring the MINI Cooper again. The small car screeched out of the parking lot, whipping around the bend and headed off, leaving the three men still standing on the sidewalk, dazed and confused.

After looking at each other for about a minute, one of them finally pulled out a cell phone and called for help. "Yes, Your Eminence?" the man greeted Joseph, who was none-too-pleased with this call, "She got away. These two teenagers whisked her off."

"She got away? And you claim to be the best? Well it wasn't good enough, now was it?" Joseph demanded, furious at the report, "Is there anybody else around?"

The men glanced around like hibernating bears ready to exit their caves. The initial plan was to grab Chocolat as quickly as they could without people noticing and bring her back to the Pope. But when the MINI Cooper came in and two teens swung a stick at them, the plan went awry and now they feared they might have brought unwanted attention to themselves. With still a few cars in the parking lot and various pedestrians around them, they realized they were no longer safe. "We have to get out of here. Do you want us to pursue them?" the man asked, waving to his accomplices to return to the van.

"No, don't pursue," Joseph responded, his irritation echoing throughout his tone, "I have a better way to do this, and it involves dealing with those around her. If those two teens and those around Chocolat want to play rough, then we'll give it to them. Besides, there's a certain police officer that I want to get back at, and using Chocolat is perfect."

* * *

"What do you mean they should let her go? Are you serious? That girl is the reason why I'm losing so much business!" Daggertooth roared as Joseph calmly slid his cell phone back into his pocket. Joseph arranged a meeting between the two sides to hammer out the final details of their deal. Upon hearing that Chocolat was whisked away by two classmates, but Joseph opting to call off the chase, Daggertooth just exploded before him. "You clearly want me to go bankrupt here, don't you? You want every piece of the pie so that you can monopolize everything!" The last syllable echoed off the cold, slightly damp walls of the warehouse, overshadowing the dripping of leaky pipes outside.

Joseph turned his eyes back up, his own cold stare mimicking that of the man with flat top hair across from him. Aside from the twosome, there was nobody inside, making the atmosphere that much tenser. "The deal has been simple to begin with," he started, his hand fidgeting with something in his pocket, "I buy the chemicals from you, and you deliver them to me. I use it on the girls, and let you use them for the business. That's all we want. I don't understand why you must complicate matters," he commented rudely.

"Oh, so you can profit while I lose everything?" Daggertooth retorted, jutting out his lower jaw and pointing a thumb at his own chest, "So you're clearly harassing my territory now, is that it? You really think you're some high and mighty pope now?"

Joseph pursed his lips, refusing to address Daggertooth's point. Clearly, his opponent was trying to call the bluff, and Joseph had no intention of falling for it. Taking a deep breath, he stuck to his guns and returned the problem back into Daggertooth's hands. "Whether you make money or not is none of my business," Joseph replied, his cheeks slightly twitching as he spoke, "As long as you carry out your end of the deal, and make sure those numbers are alright, there's no way I'll be pestering you."

"Make sure the numbers are alright? Easier said than done," Daggertooth retorted, his right hand balling into a fist while his left pointed an accusing finger forward, "You keep saying your girls will do the job, but then they keep bailing on me. Chocolat hasn't shown up for a complete job for three days now, and today you let her go. So aren't you the one who caused the messed up the numbers instead of me?"

Joseph turned his head away from Daggertooth, an aura of arrogance surrounding the moustachioed man. "I'll handle internal affairs my way, so you outsiders should just step aside," he sneered, "Give me the money and everything will be handled accordingly. Don't forget, I was the one who gave you this opportunity. Otherwise, you're still stuck in the ghettos of Iselia, wondering when your next meal will be," he taunted.

Daggertooth stuttered, his head twitching slightly like someone had just landed a knockout punch on him. So this was the grand plan from Joseph? He truly thought he could own everything and was entitled to all their operations? Chuckling, he placed his hands on his hips and stared incredulously at the so-called pope. "I wouldn't be surprised if those two classmates were among your group too. In fact, you probably faked trying to get Chocolat back just to put on an act in front of me. Is this how you're playing it right now?" Daggertooth demanded, stepping up to Joseph slowly and glaring at the side of his face, "You want the chemicals, the money, and the girls, so you backstab anyone in sight just to get it. You might as well own the entire city then, right?" he yelled.

Before Joseph could even respond, Daggertooth marched around him and headed for the exit. "If that's your attitude, then the deal's off. I'll take back my stuff and will be withholding it until further notice," he announced, pocketing a few packets of white powder, "Until you decide on your next course of action, don't be contacting me, because I'm not interested." Pulling on his jacket, he gripped the doors and prepared to head out.

Joseph's eyes narrowed to darts as he honed in on his target. Nobody ever made a mockery out of his operations, even his accomplices. His fingers wrapped around the Swiss Army knife in his pocket. He didn't want to use it, but Daggertooth was leaving him with very little option. Flicking the blade out, he marched towards his adversary and slashed at his arm. "You're not going anywhere!" he shouted ferociously.

Daggertooth gripped at his right shoulder, a searing pain shooting through where contact was made. Making sure his goods were alright, Joseph balled a fist and clocked the drug supplier across the face, landing a solid left before attacking with his right, ramming the butt of the knife straight into Daggertooth's nose. Two fragments of Derris Kharlan slamming into the planet as Joseph put all his force behind the hits, making dark, visible marks appear onto Daggertooth's cheek and nose.

The large man cried out in pain, holding the bridge of his nose as Joseph dropped down to grab the chemical packets. Warm blood swelled to the wounds as Daggertooth tried to regain balance, only to have Joseph ram him down with his shoulder. "Nobody gets away from a deal with me and gets off scot-free," Joseph ranted as Daggertooth's large body collapsed onto the ground, the large, physical man now whimpering in fear. All this was ignored by Joseph, who merely pocketed the packets into his own jacket. "And just for good measure," he sneered, smirking arrogantly at the fallen man. He turned on his heel and landed two hard kicks onto Daggertooth's ribs, the sole of the shoe smashing into bone as the man with flat-top hair howled and doubled over.

Joseph eyed the pathetic sight before him. For someone threatening to cut off all of his resources, Daggertooth proved no match for Joseph. "And that's how we do business at the New Church of Martel and Mana," Joseph taunted him one last time. He turned again and casually strolled to the door, leaving his opponent in the darkness as he headed back out to his vehicle. As he continued his march, he pulled out his cell phone again and dialled another number, another plan hatching in his brain.

Joseph would reach the safety of his car by the time the other side picked up. "Hello? Is this Andy or Bill? Listen, I have another idea. I know we let Chocolat go today but there's another way we can deal with this issue," he suggested, sticking the key into the ignition, "We do have some idea where she lives, right? I want you to keep an eye on that neighbourhood, and see if we can get a certain police officer to approach it."

* * *

"Cameryn, over here!" Kate called, waving her hand in the air as the police secretary hurried across the street. As expected, the two met outside the insurance office to start a portfolio for Kate and help her with her investment plans. In fact, Kate headed straight for the company right after she got out of school, hoping to catch Cameryn there as she arrived. To her expectations, her friend did not disappoint.

"Hello Kate," Cameryn greeted as they trotted inside the building. Cameryn went to the front desk to ask for the agent she booked the appointment with while Kate rifled through her bag, hoping to find the appropriate information. Per Cameryn's instructions, Kate brought all the identifications and personal information required for her and her father to make this transaction successful, and hopefully making their savings grow.

Her eyes squinted at the photocopied documents, but when they landed on the ones involving her father, her heart sank. For years, they kept Joseph's operations secret, not letting even their closest friends, if they could be considered as such, know of their dealings. Heck, in many cases, Kate had flatly refused to divulge any information on her father at all, only choosing to address him very casually and not go into any depth. But now, with things becoming rocky and their prospects looking grim, Kate had to do anything to get Joseph away from this business. And if it meant getting closer with Cameryn and having her know a bit more about Kate's personal history, then so be it.

Kate's head lifted again, just in time to see Cameryn step back from the front desk and being led into the back cubicles. "Come on, Kate," she called, signalling the half-elf to follow. Kate marched along with them, trying to remain confident and upbeat, but her stomach fluttered and knees wobbled with each step. It was a risk she had to take, as the only way Joseph would even consider leaving the New Church of Martel and Mana was if Kate could stand on her own. Given this opportunity, Kate was anxious and nervous at the same time, wondering what it could all mean for them once those papers were signed.

"Here we are," Cameryn's voice jolted Kate back into the office, where they entered a cubicle furthest away from the door. "This is Vivian Leigh, the insurance agent I recommended earlier this week. Vivian is an expert in savings investments, and will be here to guide you through the steps. I've asked her to prepare the proposals for you, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask her," Cameryn suggested in a friendly tone.

Kate sat down slowly, staring at the agent across from her. The woman had dark, shoulder-length hair, a pair of thick-rimmed glasses, and a polite smile. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Aubrey," she greeted, sticking out her arm clothed by a beige dress shirt.

"Just Kate is fine, thank you," Kate replied, mimicking the gesture. The two ladies shook hands firmly before Vivian turned her eyes back to her desktop, taking out the three plans Cameryn suggested. From her position, Kate felt more vulnerable than ever, as the cubicle somewhat foreshadowed her fate should she fail. The walls seem to cave in on her, trapping her inside like a jail cell. Cameryn became the arresting officer, bringing her in for booking while Vivian was the night clerk, preparing the prisoner's documents and statistics. The sudden cold air swirling from the ventilation fan only made Kate regret coming more, as information of a suspected criminal laid right inside her bag.

"Alright Kate, so Cameryn here has been telling me that you want investment options for the future, not just for yourself, but for your father as well. So here are the things we came up with," Vivian stated, showing her the first proposal. The bright yellow folder reflected straight into Kate's eyes, making her concentration scatter even more as the agent spoke. "This one mainly has to do with personal health. Since you said your father might be involved in things that may damage his body, this plan will cover any medical needs plus save you extra should he require long-term medical treatment. You can access the money right off the plan, with no extra charges whatsoever."

Kate nodded, gently picking up the folder as she skimmed the fine print. It took maybe a few seconds for the words to blur together, as the storm of fear brewing inside her head clouded any attempt for her to read. What if they found out who Joseph was? What if they judged her based on his actions? What if Cameryn went to the police with this information? All the possibilities created a vortex in her mind, crashing violently into her brain and threatened to spill into the open for all to see.

"And this second plan is mainly for your needs, as you're currently a student. With tuitions and textbooks and such, it might be a burden not to save up. You can use savings here at any point in time during your semester, and with the expenses of your university covered, it even allows you to collect money earned from things like scholarships," Vivian continued, pushing another folder in Kate's way, "You do look like the scholarly type, so this will suit you best. Now, shall we go to the third?"

Kate lifted her head back up, her shoulders feeling like a weightlifter had just dropped his bell bars on her. Her eyes were already dazed and slightly but involuntarily rolling as her mind was further swamped with numbers. Still woozy from the assault, she was nothing more than meat on the cutting board as Vivian showed the third file to her. "This is a universal savings plan, meaning investments for general use," she explained, pointing out each area of interest with her pen, "This is especially advantageous for students like you, because this plan is extremely flexible, and can shift money to any source or need whenever necessary. If you put the plan into action this year, I will say you can have enough to cover tuition and any expenses for the next few years, and still have leftover to start tackling college loan repayment. How does that sound?" she asked.

Kate skimmed over each folder, her mind really reeling now as she struggled to make a decision. Compound this to the already existing problem of worrying over her father's identity, and Kate was officially out of it. "Well, these all look promising, but all I'm interested in is something that can let me save my money and let it grow steadily," Kate replied, one hand rubbing the back of the other while her eyes shifted sideways. She caught Cameryn sitting with a concerned expression, ready to jump in should Kate want help. "I don't need to make a fortune right now, but if it can grow, then…"

"Oh, don't worry. With any of these plans, I can assure you that you'll make some money, one way or another," Vivian responded enthusiastically, her eyes wide and a huge grin on her face, "Now, if you don't mind, I'll insert the personal information for you and your father into the computer, and we'll just let you pick a plan. Can I have the pieces of identification or their photocopies please?" she requested, clicking the computer mouse.

Kate stuttered, her heart skipping a beat as two pairs of eyes keyed in on her. With Cameryn peering into Kate's bag and Vivian tapping a finger on the mouse pad, Kate could feel beads developing on her forehead. Smiling and nodding hesitantly, her hand snaked its way into her bag, the digits edging down like molasses as she looked for the appropriate documents. "The sooner we can get you and your father registered, the faster we can move on the plans. And when the money start flowing, everything will be good," Vivian commented, her smile looking more like a smirk to Kate.

Kate tried to keep a straight face, stretching every muscle to prevent a wince from appearing. The amount of time she could stall was decreasing, the clock ticking at the far wall counting down the dreadful moment when her father's identity was exposed. Just as her fingers touched the documents, a shrill cell phone blasted through the air, prompting everyone to check their bags. "It's mine," Cameryn called out, waving the blinking box-like object in the air, "If you'll excuse me for a moment."

Cameryn hurried out of the cubicle, leaving the half-elf with the agent. Kate peeked backwards, making sure that Cameryn was away when she grabbed her papers again. She glanced at Vivian one more time, and decided that the risk was worth it. After all, Vivian's only job was to register her for investments. Would she really bypass confidentiality agreements and leak this to the police? Cameryn might be her friend, but Kate could not trust the situation at the moment. "Can you guarantee that there is total privacy in this transaction?" she asked Vivian, "No one other than us two know this."

Vivian nodded as she placed a hand forward. "Our company ensures full client privacy, and will not release any information regarding our clients in any regular circumstance. You and your father are the only people to know about this transaction, nobody else," she promised, waiting patiently for Kate to hand over the papers.

Sighing, Kate finally surrendered the information, her eyes never leaving the computer monitor as Vivian shuffled through each page, typing in key bits here and there into the new file. From her angle, Kate could see names, dates of birth, Social Insurance numbers, and other tidbits being added on. After a tense few minutes, Vivian put the papers back together and returned them to Kate. "So have you decided which plan?"

A smile and a frown quickly flashed through Kate's face, appearing almost simultaneously as the half-elf was caught off guard. In her paranoia, she totally forgot about which plan offered what, and what she intended for her and Joseph to get. "Uh, I really haven't decided, so I'm not sure yet," she stuttered, rubbing the back of her head. She realized that she just placed herself in jeopardy, as the longer she stayed in this office, the more likely her secret would be blown out.

But Vivian was completely fine with that, as she sought to reassure Kate again. "As long as we have your file set up, we can return to the investment any time you want. All you have to do is give me a call and I'll set it up for you," she said, handing Kate her business card, "But I do suggest that you go home and look over my three proposals, as each one offers you something that can help you in the long run."

Just as Kate agreed to postpone a decision, Cameryn returned to the cubicle, her hand slipping the cell phone back into her pocket. "Sorry about that. My colleagues at work are updating me on the latest project," she announced apologetically, "What about you?"

Vivian updated Cameryn on Kate's decision, looking up at the officer standing behind Kate's chair. Kate, however, was oblivious to this, as she was busy stuffing everything back into her bag. She avoided disaster by a sliver, having successfully set up her account while making sure all information remained private. Above all, she managed to take her belongings back just as Cameryn entered, preventing her enthusiastic friend from getting too close for comfort. Not bad for my first time alone, she thought.

Just as she pushed her chair back to go, a piece of paper fluttered out of Kate's bag, the still open zipper dangling as the page floated to the ground like a parachute. "Hey, you dropped something," Cameryn noted, pointing at the object. Kate was about get down when the strawberry blonde beat her to the page, her fingers pinching the paper's corner and lifted it back up. "Is this some information from you or your father?" she asked.

Kate snatched it out of Cameryn's hand before she peered around too much, much to the police secretary's dismay at her friend's sudden change of attitude. Kate quickly thanked Vivian and bolted out the cubicle, heading straight for the exit, leaving Cameryn standing around looking confused. Turning to Vivian, she managed a weak smile, half shrugging as she said, "Maybe it's her first time doing this, and she's nervous?"

Cameryn thanked Vivian as well as she headed out, her mind wrapped around the event that just happened. Kate's reaction was surprising, to say the least, but it wasn't the most shocking thing. Because while Cameryn picked up the page for Kate, she noticed an unusual name on the sheet, one that resonated in her mind as she muttered to herself, "Is there a relation between the two? How is Kate linked to Joseph Aubrey?"

* * *

The dark blue MINI Cooper hybrid finally screeched to a halt, whipping into the parking lot of the park at Lloyd and Colette's neighbourhood after what seemed like a day-long drive. The three teens inside jolted hard as the wheels scratched the ground, the car almost hitting curb. The spiky-haired driver shoved the gear into park and signalled to his two female passengers to get off. "Let's go for a stroll. Maybe the fresh air will do us some good," Lloyd suggested, his eyes shooting icicles at the brunette in the back as he spoke, "Plus, I think it's the best place and time for us to get some answers."

Colette eyed Chocolat nervously as Lloyd flung his seatbelt away and shoved the door open, letting the sunlight drench his otherwise chilly vehicle as he slammed the door shut. Hesitantly, Colette followed her boyfriend out, leaving her door open and reclining her seat forward for Chocolat to climb out. The two girls stood behind Lloyd in complete confusion, wondering what Lloyd was up to as the spiky-haired teen refused to say a word. Clicking a button on his keys, he locked the car doors, a whooping sound echoing from the MINI Cooper as he marched forward, going deeper into the park.

Colette and Chocolat followed closely, taking short, quick steps to match Lloyd's longer but smoother strides. The leaves on the trees rustling and the few birds chirping did nothing to remedy the tense atmosphere. Lloyd continued on, his pose nonchalant, his hands stuffed into his pockets and his back straight. But the silence from Lloyd, an unusual sight to say the least, was what worried the two girls the most. Seeing that something must be done, Colette hurried up to him and grabbed his arm. "Lloyd, can you say something? You're not exactly making things easy for us right now."

Lloyd stopped, his body remaining still as his head turned to Colette's direction. On his face was an expression that sent shivers up Colette's spine, as Lloyd was neither angry nor frustrated, but annoyed to the point of no return. With his eyes ice cold and his eyebrows slightly twitching, Lloyd carried his acidic message in the sweetest tone. "You know I love you, Colette, and I'll do anything to make you happy. But right now, the one making you most uncomfortable isn't me. It's her." Tilting his head behind them, Lloyd made Colette turn around and face Chocolat, marching solemnly behind with her back slouched and her eyes staring at the ground below. "Why not ask her to say something?"

Colette paused, her eyes tilting back and forth between the two frozen figures. There was considerable tension between them right now, as Lloyd and Chocolat refused to look at each other, standing their ground like two statues. Halting Lloyd, she rushed back to Chocolat and stared her concerned eyes into the girl clad in yellow. "Who were those people? Why were they trying to abduct you? What's happening?" she asked.

"Have I angered them?" Chocolat murmured, her chin still glued to her sternum, "What have I been doing wrong? I've been told that I have to save people, and I know I've been trying to reach out to those in most need, so why are they after me?"

Colette's eyebrows twisted to improbable shapes. Wasn't this the same speech Chocolat gave back in class? Why would any of this apply to this kidnapping situation? Shaking her head clear, Colette focused back on Chocolat and asked her again. "Those men were thugs, so they won't be saving anyone. They're here to harm you, I know it. So why don't you just tell us what's going on? We'll help you for sure," Colette assured her.

Chocolat finally lifted her head, her eyes wider than plates as she stared right into Colette's eyes. "No, I don't require help. It's the rest of you who do!" she insisted, edging uncomfortably close to Colette. The blond girl inched backwards, staggering a bit as her friend pushed in, still chanting the same rhetoric from class earlier. "The Pope said that this is a way to help people. I must give up myself to cleanse men of their souls, ridding them of their sins and letting them free. In exchange, I can reach Martel faster, and be liberated myself. I don't know if this will work for people who aren't men, but that's why I kept telling you that in class. I want to save you and my mom too, honest!" Chocolat's eyes nearly bulged out as she leaned into Colette, desperately hoping for an agreement.

But that only drove Colette away faster, as she hustled to her still stoic boyfriend, his face not looking at Chocolat at all. But even without seeing Lloyd, the message was loud and clear. "Why don't you wake up and smell the coffee, Chocolat?" the spiky-haired teen spat in a venomous tone, "What Pope are we talking about? What church is this? Can't you see that these people are nothing but a gang?" he retorted. Colette's eyes nearly watered, hurt by Lloyd's tone but also saddened by Chocolat's condition.

Chocolat's mouth opened and closed, her face resembling a fish clinging to life out of the water. Although from Colette's standpoint, Chocolat was clinging to life period as Lloyd whipped around, his eyes looking downright murderous. "You don't have to be a crime expert like my dad to tell that these guys are up to no good. They probably want to kidnap you to make you do their nasty deeds!" Lloyd exclaimed, his sword-like finger thrusting into Chocolat's face like slaying a demon, "You think what you're doing is helping people? Then I ask what drugs they used to brainwash you!"

Colette could see Chocolat flinch with every word, like each syllable carried a sharp nail that pricked at the girl. And when Lloyd mentioned drugs, Chocolat finally snapped. "Martel gave herself up for this planet. Don't you remember in class, how the Reunification hero got involved in those civil wars and how Martel reconnected us with Derris Kharlan just to let half-elves live in peace? That's what we have to do: to help the people, we must sacrifice ourselves!" Chocolat's voice was hoarse from nearly yelling the words back at Lloyd. Her chest heaved up and down as well, trying hard to contain Lloyd's hurtful accusations. "And the Pope isn't a gang leader, so don't insult him!"

Lloyd stared at Chocolat exasperatedly, not knowing what to say. Had the poison penetrated so deeply into her that she was willing to defy logic? Was she willing to be a cult member forever? The volcano finally blew its top as Lloyd strode back to the parking lot with Colette and Chocolat in hot pursuit. He yanked his keys out and clicked the lock, his MINI Cooper whooping again as the doors unlocked themselves. Reaching into the back, he seized Chocolat's backpack and threw them onto the grass before them. "You want to trust your cult leader, right?" Lloyd demanded, the laser beams eyes slicing through the air and directly at Chocolat, "Then don't bother talking to us again."

Chocolat's lips quivered as Lloyd shot icicles her way one last time, the image inerasable as he marched back to the MINI Cooper. Just as he reached the driver door, Colette shot in and grabbed his arm. "Lloyd, wait. Let's let her explain," she pleaded, her eyes alternating between the two feuding figures. Chocolat was completely helpless, her back slouched over and her knees nearly buckling as she hiccupped hard to prevent tears.

But there was no convincing her boyfriend, as Lloyd stuck a key into the ignition and turned the engine on. "Colette, if you know what's best for you, I suggest you get in the car," he instructed, his tone flat and blunt, "There's nothing more we can do to help her, not when she's willing to live the life of a prostitute. Now let's go home."

Colette's metronome eyes danced between Chocolat and Lloyd, neither moving an inch as she was caught in the middle. Sniffling herself, Colette mouthed a silent "I'm sorry" to the brunette, snaking around the hood and into the passenger seat. When she got settled, Lloyd pulled the car into reverse, bursting out of the parking lot and onto the road again. That was when Colette could no longer hold her emotions as she let her tears flow freely. Twin waterfalls poured down her face as the blonde could only wonder what would happen to Chocolat as she stood alone in the park with her life at risk.

* * *

"Hey Gil, we're all just about ready to go home. Are you going to head out with us?" the friendly voice of Presea called into Gil's office. The lighting had dimmed significantly as the team headed for the door, but the pink-haired officer decided to check in on her superior, seeing that the only bright source seemed to be from him.

"No, not now," Gil responded, his head still down scouring the notes before him, "I'm going to stay here and figure out a couple more things first. You can all head off if you want, but I'm not going to yet. Good night!" he called, waving a hand at her.

Only the rustling of their footsteps could be heard as Gil poured his attention onto the pages before him. Robert's stories from the private meeting between them touched a nerve, as Gil had to see for himself what the case was all about at that time. Lifting his head for a moment, he closed his eyes, immersing himself into the world at that time…

"_Police, nobody move!" A team of heavily armed officers barged into the drug warehouse, pointing their guns in each direction. The group inside stood calmly staring at the men and women in uniform surrounding them. Despite being under siege, there were no signs of panic from anyone, making the atmosphere that much tenser._

_In the middle was a squat, slightly bulky, moustachioed man, nonchalantly soaking in the scene. The police captain came forth, waving his badge and announced, "My name is Captain Noishe, and I'm leading this investigation alongside Triet Police. We have been informed that this operation involves illegal substances, and we'll be taking you all back down to the station with us." The former Protozoan glared Joseph in the face, not moving an inch as he stared down his opponent._

_Joseph returned the expression, scanning the team of officers surrounding him. He knew of the people behind his operation, and how those other sources would be in play when the transaction was made. That was why he felt relaxed and confident of his chances of getting out unscathed. "Well officers, I don't see why there's a need to barge in on us. We weren't doing anything illegal," Joseph sneered, waving his arm around to show Noishe the people in the room, "Since this is private area, do you have a warrant?"_

_Noishe smirked. He figured that Joseph would not surrender easily, and that was why he especially asked one of the top officers in his unit to tag along. "That's not what our hardest working officer has to say," he retorted, one hand on his hip while the other reaching back, "Why don't we let Officer Robert Ross have the floor?"_

_The people parted like the tide, sweeping to the side as a neatly dressed officer stepped forth. His hair was tidily combed over, with his uniform in crisp condition and his dark shoes clopped on the floor. He strode over with a neutral but firm expression on his face, his back straight and his face looking forward. He handed Noishe a large manila envelope, the same smirk Noishe exhibited earlier now on his face as he stared down Joseph. "I've done my research, and I know exactly what this operation is all about now. There's no way you can escape with my background stuff in hand," he taunted._

_Noishe smiled and nodded, undoing the string of the envelope as he pulled out the information. Even in the dim lighting, he had an idea what the papers contained as he flipped the pages nonchalantly, his eyes clueing in for important details. "You're telling me you have no connections to the Triet drug world despite several transactions within the past month, some of which documented by undercover officers?" Noishe pointed out smugly, "How about the several monetary transactions in several bank accounts owned solely or jointly by yourself, most of which involving numbers in the thousands? Face it, you have nowhere to go, so you might as well give up and hope for a lighter sentence."_

_Despite the threat, Joseph remained undeterred. Even as his accomplices near him looked around in confusion and shock, Joseph merely chuckled at Noishe. "You think you can make a case out of it that easily?" he responded, puffing out his chest defiantly, "Why don't we get this to court first and see what the jury will say?"_

"But obviously that didn't work out, as the court found Joseph Aubrey not guilty, sliding all the blame to the other drug leaders in Triet, and letting him go free," Gil summarized softly, his hand brushing the files as he recounted the days. Although he was well into his undercover case at the time, speaking with Robert at his house the other day made him feel like he was there. He still remembered the determination Robert exhibited as he told Gil of the events, the iron will inside him strengthening again as he desired to bring down Joseph's gang at all costs. Gil truly felt sorry, not for Robert, but for the gang, as they had tried to do in a star officer, only to harden his resolve. And with Gil leading the unit and encouraging Robert all the way, it was only a matter of time before they closed the case.

Gil stretched one last time, checking the clock on his wall and realizing it was getting late. Lloyd was probably home already, and was likely either preparing dinner or waiting for him to return with take-out. "Well, no use loitering around here," he muttered to himself, "Might as well bring some of this stuff back and see what I can do there."

Rearranging his files, he tucked them under his left arm while getting his cane with his right. He slipped his cell phone into his pocket, hobbling to the door and flipped off the lights. As he closed the door gently behind him, the only thing on his mind was what other cracks in the armour could be found as the case got increasingly complicated.

* * *

So there you go. Cameryn finally suspects something with Kate (thus ending the dramatic irony) and we get a bit more into the actual events leading to Bob's past. My intention is to reveal bit by bit, but never all at once so that you guys can be kept in suspense while appreciating what went through these characters. Hope to see you next time!


	7. Descend into Chaos

We got reviews from **AccessBlade, Phazon, **and **Fenrir of the Shadows. **Again, I was trying to find a perfect combination of how much airtime I should give each OC and canonical character, and also work on interaction between characters while weaving that in with description. I'll try to delve a little deeper into the events here by looking into more of Bob's past, Lloyd and Colette trying to deal with Chocolat, Cameryn's "descend into madness" over Kate, and a cool action scene in the end.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. **Mandrakefunnyjuice** owns Robert (Bob) Ross. **Poet Bucky** owns Cabalina and Fil Ashton. **Fenrir of the Shadows **owns Azul Kharlan. **AccessBlade** owns Cameryn Lachance.

* * *

Lloyd was in no mood to speak as the dark blue MINI Cooper pulled back into their neighbourhood. The image of Chocolat standing in the park, half shaking and half slumping, branded into his mind, but somehow he didn't feel any guilt or remorse over it. She got what she deserved, he thought bitterly, even when we reach out to her she slaps us away like that? His left hand roughly flicked the signal switch, flashing the right light to indicate the next turn. He wanted to drop Colette off first, before heading home.

And speaking of Colette, Lloyd sneaked a peek to his right, and saw the blond girl with her chin glued to her chest. Some loose strands of gold draped over her face like hay at the horse stalls in Bucky's barn, at least according to how Genis described the horse stalls. Soft whimpers could be heard over the quiet humming of the engines as Colette kept her face relatively away from Lloyd, avoiding any eye contact. Sensing the tense situation, the spiky-haired teen decided to intervene. "Colette, there's really nothing to worry about, alright? I'm sure everything will be fine," he told her unemotionally.

Colette sniffed hard, the sudden inhalation of air causing a sharp sound that cut through the engine. "It's not us that I'm worried about," she hiccupped, rubbing her palms together fearfully, "What about Chocolat? What if she didn't make it home safely, or those thugs came back for her?" She finally turned her face to Lloyd, tear stains forming right at the bags of her eyes. "We shouldn't have left her like that, even if we're angry."

Lloyd shook his head. His mind was extremely conflicted right now, having to deal with Chocolat and Colette at the same time. Had he been too harsh in leaving the girl alone at the park? Was it truly the right thing to do to upset that many people? But how about all the shady dealings Chocolat had been involved in, some of which might be illegal? "We can't worry about that right now," Lloyd decided, his tone's fake firmness hiding his true apprehensiveness, "We have to get us home first, and then decide on the next course of action. At this rate, I don't rule out getting my dad involved."

Colette gasped, fearful of the implications. If Gil heard about this, he might start all-out investigation into Chocolat's background and might involve the police laying charges. What if Chocolat and Cacao ended up becoming suspects subject to intense interrogations? With Chocolat's already frail state, Colette wasn't sure how much their classmate could take. "Lloyd, I don't know about this. What if they can't handle the situation? I don't think we should get the police yet," she pleaded.

"Then what can we do, Colette?" Lloyd retorted, his volume doubling at least. His fingers squeezed the wheel even tighter, the rubber exterior squeaking in pain as Lloyd unleashed his frustrations into the MINI Cooper's controls. "We can't call the police, we can't pull Chocolat out by condemning her, we can't reveal the secret, and so what option do we have left? You're not making things easy here!" he roared, whipping the wheel hard right in the final turn into Colette's block.

Colette had to hang onto the handrail as the MINI Cooper screeched around the bend. As the vehicle eased straight again, Colette took a deep breath and explained her thoughts to Lloyd. "We have to let her make the choice. Yes, we feel it's bad that she's gotten herself into this, but there has to be a reason. We have to keep reaching out to her, and we have to keep an eye on her over the weekend. I don't think we should have your dad involved unless it's a last resort, so until then we must do everything we can."

Lloyd bit his lower lip, exhaling hard as the MINI Cooper neared Colette's house. He really had no idea what to do here. True, Colette did have a point when she wanted to help Chocolat out, but what could they do when someone refused to listen, and even fought back every challenge? Add to the fact that there were illegal activities going on behind the scenes, Lloyd wasn't sure how safe they were, let alone Chocolat. As he pulled the car onto Colette's driveway, he gently eased the gear into park, his hand's slow motion mimicking the gears inside his brain as endless possibilities swamped him. "Right now, I just can't say for sure," he replied, his volume barely above a murmur, "I know we have to act soon, but I really don't know. I'll have to think about it before we move on."

With that, the young couple leaned in for a quick kiss. Colette then reached into the back and grabbed her bag, waving to Lloyd as she opened the passenger door. "Just to let you know," she told him gently, "Whatever you choose, I'll support you. This is another thing we must solve together, and only then will we become stronger."

Lloyd nodded and smiled, the first of such since the entire fiasco began. Waving to Colette as the blond bounded through her front door, he pulled the MINI Cooper back into the streets, heading back to his own home. The entire drive was silent as he thought about every possibility, the storm still rumbling inside his mind. He realized that the sooner his father knew about this, the better it would help him make a decision. "I can't just hide it forever," he mumbled, "And besides, if I don't release any names, I doubt Colette will suspect me of ratting out Chocolat, right? Then all's well that ends well."

By the time Lloyd pulled into his garage, lowering the garage door as he stepped into his home, nightfall had descended onto the city. The surrounding areas darkened significantly as lights across the neighbourhood flickered on. Lloyd was about to do so to his own room, hoping to drop off his things and change into a new set of clothes when he was interrupted. "About time you got back, did you have to do research again?"

Lloyd turned around, his shirt pulled off halfway just to see his father standing at the doorway, leaning on his cane and looking at him with a curious expression. There was a strange twinkle in Gil's eye, reflecting just enough light from the hallway that Lloyd interpreted as either he suspected something, or was really interested in knowing what trouble Lloyd had gotten into. "You're in such a hurry that you didn't even hit your own lights," Gil observed, leaning in to flick the switch, "What's the deal?"

Thanks to the shirt half covering Lloyd's face, the sudden flash of light did little to impede his action. He tossed the school shirt onto his bed and loosened his belt, his pants slightly sagging as he dug through his closet. "Not much is new," he replied, his tone fake relaxed, "You know, the same old, trying to get things done, that sort of thing." Lloyd was still hesitant in exposing the secret, and was intent on testing Gil to see how much he could give away. "Are you preparing dinner? Do you want my help?"

But Gil remained silent, observing his son with X-ray vision. The spiky-haired teen turned around and stared back at his father, an uneasy feeling resonating from the two. Lloyd stood up straight, his body bare and his jeans dropping just enough to show his boxer briefs waistband. Gil, on the other hand, stared back unemotionally, motionless like a statue save for the lean on the cane. The sudden chill dancing through Lloyd's developing muscles told him that the situation was inescapable. "Dad, what's on your mind?" he asked with a cocked brow.

Gil rubbed his chin thoughtfully, making Lloyd squint even harder. He removed his jeans ever so slowly, gently tossing it onto his bed. His eyes were peeled for Gil's face as he carefully grabbed his new clothes, holding them close to his bare abdomen. Like his current condition, he felt awfully naked under Gil's thoughtful but confusing stare. If his father suspected anything, he sure did a good job of hiding it. Lloyd just couldn't get inside Gil's head, with the goateed man standing stoically before him.

Finally, Gil tilted his face at Lloyd, just as a sudden breeze shot through a small unsealed crack at Lloyd's windowsill. The cool wind whistled in jabbed at Lloyd's bare back, sending shivers up Lloyd's spine while his front side faced Gil's cocked head. "I only recall two scenarios when you were this secretive and avoiding me," Gil recalled, sticking up the appropriate number of fingers, "One of which is your first term in grade seven, where your report card took a nosedive. The other was when you and Colette had an argument when you were in elementary school, and you were too ashamed of going back to apologize to her. So it's either marks or classmates, or should I say soul mate."

Lloyd sighed, his shoulders sagging lower than his jeans did earlier. His hands dropped down, letting his new change of clothes hang before his developing six-pack. "There's no hiding from you, is there?" he retorted, realizing that his cover was pretty much done, "You're right, it does involve a classmate, but I just don't feel comfortable releasing all the information to you. I want to solve it without hurting her, that's all."

Gil stepped into the room, following Lloyd to the bed as the teen took a seat at the edge. "Dad, have you ever dealt with someone who just doesn't seem to get it? You know those people who think they're always right and won't address another opinion, even if their side is completely illogical?" he asked, gesturing with his right hand while holding onto the new clothes with his left, "And it got to the point where the blow-up was so big that you ended up ditching that person? What would you do regarding all this?"

Gil scratched his chin. "It's kind of like Bob Ross, I guess, except you seem to be in a much bigger situation. I'm under the impression that you're not just talking about a simple feud, but something that you guys genuinely disagree upon. I think it may even be like a moral or principle issue," he replied thoughtfully, palming his chin while resting his elbow on the cane, "Can you tell me a bit more? What issue are you upset with?"

Lloyd bit his lip, his eyes casting to the side to avoid his father's look. He was uncertain as to how much to say, just in case it ended up hurting Chocolat. True, with Gil an active police officer, he might give Chocolat some advice on leaving a gang, but what if Gil chose to investigate instead? Wouldn't that throw Chocolat under the bus again?

Fortunately, Gil chose not to pursue, as the former mole got back to his feet and went for the door. "You can tell me when you're ready, and you can tell me as much or as little as you want, although I'm not guaranteeing that I can help you if you give me less to work with," Gil responded, always the one to tack on a condition, "Now if you don't mind, I'd like some help in starting dinner. So please, put on some clothes, and let's get going." He turned back and winked at Lloyd, gesturing at Lloyd's exposed body.

* * *

There would be no peace at night for Cameryn Lachance, who discovered a very shocking tidbit about the young woman living across the hall from her. On one of the sheets Kate brought with her to the insurance agent, there was one name branded onto the page that Cameryn couldn't shake from her head: Joseph Aubrey. Even as the two parted ways after the visit with the company, Kate off to the library while Cameryn went to the grocery store, the strawberry blonde couldn't possibly deny the fact any longer. "It's true, I guess," she mumbled to herself, "Kate might know some stuff about a criminal gang."

The daunting thought swirled violently through Cameryn's mind as she prepared dinner, her thoughts so flustered by the possibility that her appetite for food vanished in seconds. Even as she sat at the dining room table with her plate before her, all Cameryn found herself doing was stirring the food with her fork. The other hand was firmly against her chin, keeping her head as straight on her neck as possible. It took every ounce of her energy just to keep her brain alive, as the discovery impacted her so greatly that even her usual chipper mood dissipated, giving way to a glum, and depressed state.

Soon, the mood gave way to disgust as Cameryn rudely shoved her plate away, the food edging dangerously close to the edge of the table but not falling. She slammed her fork onto the wood and whipped the chair backwards, letting out a cry of agony as her entire body tensed up. The eating utensils shuddered at the earthquake on the table as she stormed into the kitchen. She lumbered up to the window and, in one swift motion, whipped it open, letting the evening air thoroughly soak her body.

The breezes managed to cool down the kitchen as Cameryn allowed the air to pour over her. It was temporarily comforting, as it managed to settle her throbbing head for a moment. She was truly torn between her friendship to Kate and her duties to her police unit. The momentary serenity in her apartment reminded her of the conversations she had with Noishe and Gil, the two senior officers always making her feel at ease in the usually hectic unit. They were fantastic to her, treating her with respect in exchange for her services. Knowing the expectations heaped onto her when she transferred into the unit, she couldn't possibly betray their trust by hiding the truth.

But as she leaned on the windowsill, peering out into the night, the corner of her eye caught the lights from the unit across from her. She glanced to look in that direction and caught the sight of Kate lumbering around her unit, her eyes alternating between her academic work and the information sheets she received from Vivian earlier today. Her head sagged lower than Cameryn's from the dining room table as the half-elf was hard at work, pouring all her energy into the numbers and not even noticing her neighbour from across the hall sneaking peeks over. Seeing her hard at work, she truly realized how Kate truly wanted to better her future, and even had doubts about the extent of her involvement in the gang. "She couldn't be actually involved," Cameryn muttered to herself, "she couldn't be."

And the more she stood there watching Kate immerse herself in her school work, the more torn Cameryn became over the issue. Which path would she choose? Would she make her colleagues proud and hand Kate over for investigation, thereby betraying the strong trust building between them? Or would she refuse to expose Kate's background and force her colleagues into facing the always slippery and elusive Joseph Aubrey alone? With each ticking second on the kitchen clock, Cameryn's cheeks seemed to have sprung alive, the skin involuntarily wrinkling up and squeezing her face into a grimace. The cool wind was no longer effective as the pounding in her head returned with a vengeance, the small veins in her temples drumming louder and heavier than ever before.

Suddenly, the shrill ringtone from the living room sliced through the air, the noise crossing the kitchen and simultaneously blasting her brain alongside the throbbing. Scowling furiously, Cameryn marched to her couch and flopped down, staring daggers at the offending object. Whipping the phone off the stand, she squished the call button with her index finger, the phone beeping in pain in return. "Hello?" she greeted gruffly.

"Cameryn, it's Azul," the caller from the other side replied. Cameryn's face eased a bit, the clear and crisp tone of the elf officer always managing to make her relaxed. "I know you were trying to book some of the files from the other units earlier today. I'm not sure if you have the email granting us permission yet, but do you think you can pressure the other secretaries to approve them by tomorrow instead of Monday?" he asked.

The relaxation that replaced the scowl got replaced itself, as Cameryn's heart nearly skipped a beat. Realizing that Azul's presence meant there might be questions regarding Kate, Cameryn suddenly grew fearful of her safety. Wincing again, she thought up of ways to help her stall her enthusiastic colleague. "Azul, I know you work hard, but now's not the time to ask me that," Cameryn retorted, her free hand massaging her temple, "I'm not feeling too well right now, and I haven't even checked my email yet. So if anything, I'll have to get back to you on that, maybe tomorrow. Is that fair?"

Cameryn's snappy tone immediately caused a backing down from the usually respectful and sympathetic elf. "I'm sorry, I forgot that you had a lot to deal with today," he responded, his tone softer and gentler, "Do you want me to call back? It's just I've been going over some details and I have a bit of a lead going on here, so I'm hoping you can get me that stuff for cross-referencing."

The soothing tone of Azul just released most of Cameryn's anger away, her body like a balloon leaking hot air from every side. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves even more, Cameryn explained, "I don't mean to snap at you. It's just that, with the units doing their stuff, I'm not sure how quickly they can get back to me. I could check right now, but no guarantees. What leads do you have that are so important?" she asked.

Azul's detailed description of the information soon drew Cameryn's attention away from her headache and into the case, her eyes widening and her fingers wiggling anxiously as she stepped into her bedroom. Even as the computer was whirring to life, Cameryn's ear was glued to the phone, almost like branding her ear features into the piece. By the time the internet booted up for her, Azul was finished with his speech. "So that's why I want that file. If you can get it this weekend, then it'll really go a long way."

"I'm already on it," Cameryn responded, clamping the phone with her shoulder. Her fingers danced across the keyboard, typing in the police website and email into the address bar, before proceeding to pounding in her ID and password. After a few clicks here and there, the message finally popped up. Taking a deep breath, Cameryn decided to release the information, hoping the documents would let her have some peace to think of her next action for now. "It's a go, Azul. The other unit will have the files freed up for us. You can pick it up any time you want," Cameryn offered nervously.

Azul quickly thanked Cameryn and hung up the phone, leaving Cameryn to sit in her room, swaying nervously before the message. "That could mean Kate has no way out, and it's only a matter of time before they approached her," she murmured to herself, leaning her chin on her hand again as she realized the dilemma brought her right back to the start. Somehow, her friend was in for the high jump, no matter what option she chose.

* * *

"Well, what do you think?" Colette asked as she and Lloyd strolled through the park, the same one they abandoned Chocolat at earlier that week. A relaxed weekend was all that the two had in mind as they enjoyed the early fall weather. With the temperatures still relatively mild, the two were able to feel the still warm breezes splashing their faces. The leaves, green with specks of yellow, rustled above them as birds chirped joyfully.

"What do I think about Chocolat?" Lloyd responded, the two gently holding hands as the spiky-haired teen glanced back at Colette. Despite taking some time off after the incident, the memory of what happened in this very park yesterday was still fresh. Even as they marched through the areas, they could still picture the events. Chocolat was in the back with her head down, Colette trotted back and forth between the two combatants, and Lloyd pointing the sword-like finger at the brunette. And when Lloyd left Chocolat in the parking lot alone with her backpack and books cluttered at her feet, it was Colette who had the image of a teary-eyed Chocolat standing helplessly branded into her brain. It was a sight that she wasn't about to forget soon.

The trip down memory lane soon flashed away as Colette turned back to face Lloyd. Blue pools of worry stared into brown spheres of anxiety as Colette hoped for an answer from her boyfriend. "We really have to help her, Lloyd. I know you were angry with her yesterday, and she didn't do anything to help herself either. But if this goes on, then it'll hurt us too," Colette pleaded, her grip on his hand tightening.

Lloyd bit his lower lip. "To be honest, I never really made up my mind yet," he replied sheepishly, "I know you said you'd wait for my decision, but I'm still pretty torn about it. What do you have in mind?" he asked. The wind suddenly stopped and the birds grew quiet as the two halted their stroll, the mood becoming deathly serious.

Colette brushed away some hair from her face, letting her eyes shoot completely into Lloyd. A lone gust of wind whipped through their area as the two stood face to face, the shorter teenager standing completely straight as she read her taller counterpart's facial expression. "Lloyd, I know I said I'll respect whatever decision you'll make. But I feel that it's better to act than to not act, especially given the situation," she decided firmly.

Lloyd's mouth opened and closed like a fish gulping for air, his breath stuttering at the surprise move from his girlfriend. But before he could reply, Colette raised her free hand to stop him. "I know you still have doubts, but I'm going to be honest," Colette stated, placing that hand on Lloyd's shoulder, "I was looking back at some of our research notes, and I found out about the last Sylvarant Chosen a bit more. I found out that, even though the world viewed her as a traitor for not performing her last deed, she still went forward with bettering people's lives. Despite the animosity between the two countries, she still tried to harmonize things. And despite battles with the Vanguard, who wanted her Cruxis Crystal, she still soldiered on and helped out Emil Castagnier with his past. If against all those odds, she still managed to do something, then we have to be like that."

Lloyd winced. The sudden determination from Colette didn't bode well for him, as his plan was to let Chocolat get her just desserts, while getting enough advice from his father to temporarily deal with the problem. "What you're advocating is nothing more than getting the police involved, as only my dad or someone other officer can get her out safely," he protested, waving his free arm up and down, "First you said you didn't want the police involved. Now you're saying we should have them back. Colette, what do you want?"

Colette reached in and pulled Lloyd's arm back down. She clutched both his hands in her own and held them to her heart. "Lloyd, right now the issue is getting out of hand, and I've decided to change my mind. Right now, saving Chocolat is more important than anything else. If she's truly involved with an illegal group, then we may have to call your dad," she insisted, her tone gentle yet packing tremendous power.

Lloyd rarely saw this side of Colette during their younger years, as she was the type that usually chose to be positive and tried not to burden anyone. But to see her actively initiating action to save someone, it was truly different. That was why another dilemma surfaced inside Lloyd's mind. Last night, he did indeed tell Gil about Chocolat. He did not mention her by name or described her actual activities, at least what Lloyd and Colette suspected them to be. "Would you like to hear what my dad thought of the situation, and how he thinks we can do this?" he asked.

"_So let me get this straight. You have a group member not doing work, the same one that you referred to earlier. And when she did pull her weight, you said she went into class and spewed nonsense, with no willingness to listen whatsoever?" Gil tried to digest the increasingly preposterous information, his eyebrows creeping higher and higher with each word, "And later on you felt she was skipping meetings or work sessions just to do some shady stuff, but you have no confirmation of it? Is all that accurate?"_

_Lloyd nodded as he dipped another dish into the soapy water. It was decided that Lloyd would do the washing while Gil dried the plates and utensils. "I really don't know what she's up to, but Colette and I both believe that it's probably not appropriate." Lloyd took his frustration out on the plate, the brush clawing at it and causing it to squeak and screech in return, "Do you know if there's a way to convince her out of this?"_

_Gil stared thoughtfully at the plate rack before him, not sure what to make of the situation. "I'm going to have to know a bit more," he spat each word out as carefully as possible, given the sensitive situation his son was in, "The fact that you have no confirmation of what happened also doesn't help you. Can you tell me more?"_

_A wave-like exhale came from Lloyd as Gil shot a side glance at his son. There was something in Lloyd's tone that Gil found unusual, as it was almost like Lloyd wanted to hide something from him. Even earlier, in Lloyd's bedroom, Gil had suspected there was hesitance, but even as Lloyd revealed some information, it was evident to him that it wasn't the full story. Gil tilted his head lower, trying to gauge Lloyd's eyes, which were tilted away from Gil direction. It would be difficult in prying more information away from his son. "I'll keep it between us, I promise you," he assured Lloyd._

_Lloyd sighed. He dropped the brush into the bubble-filled water and wiped his hands with a nearby towel. "I don't want to tell you everything," Lloyd replied, finally willing to cooperate, "I won't expose her just yet, because I just don't feel comfortable doing that, especially when Colette is so worried about her. Are you willing to hear it?"_

"I didn't tell him anything about the actual activities, nor did I tell him about the attempted kidnapping, but I did tell him about her apparent dazed looks, and the talk about Martel and the new church," Lloyd described to Colette, "Dad believes that she might truly be in a weird religion of some sort, and the only way we can get her out is to make her see the wrongs in her logic. And that, Colette, is easier said than done."

Colette's eyes slanted away from Lloyd, suddenly curious about the grass. "I really don't know what we can do right now, except for keep trying," she conceded, "The problem is that we would expose our suspicions about her if we told your dad more. But I really don't see another option." Colette brushed her hair again, licking her lips nervously as she racked her brain. "Should we just keep an eye on her for the weekend?"

Lloyd nodded, realizing that was their only option for now. Holding hands again, the two turned back to the parking lot, their moods lifted ever so slightly for the moment. And as they headed back out, the gentle breezes and birds returned just in time.

* * *

Gil had spent most of this Saturday at home, still recuperating from his injury by doing some simple physiotherapy such as leg stretches and movements. Despite having the cast removed, there was still relatively little strength on his right leg, and the brace covering the lower portion did little to allow his mobility. So, with some advice from his friend Phoebe and her colleagues in the hospital, Gil accessed some exercises from the hospital and started doing them on his own. "It's better than nothing, especially with you always working on your cases in the station," he recalled Phoebe commenting to him.

And that was what Gil ended up doing for most of the afternoon, just lying on his back and stretching out his leg in various ways. He could feel the muscles pulsate slightly as the limb was pulled, the cells still getting used to working at full strength. Soft creaks and cracks could be heard popping from his tendons, his leg resembling an old machine. His focus was entirely on the leg towering above him, his foot kicking skyward like the periscope of a submarine as a course of heat slowly resonated through the muscles.

Suddenly, a shrill ring cut into his concentration, making him drop his leg like an anchor as he rolled his eyes up. A flashing red light from the desk in the corner caught his eye as the former mole spun his body around with great difficulty. He crawled over to the screaming object and picked it up. "Hello, Gil here?" he greeted the other side. He was now in a horizontal position, still trying to stretch out the weak leg.

"Gil, this is Presea. I'm at the station right now, picking up those documents from the other units with Azul. Cameryn told us that they were available today," a soft, slightly monotone voice replied from the other end, "I'm getting quite a lot of interesting info here, and they may be helpful to the case. Do you have a minute?" she requested.

Gil gently pulled himself up to the desk, grabbing a notepad and pen from the first drawer. He clicked the writing tool and pressed the paper flat with his iron-like hand. "I'm all ears, Presea," he responded affirmatively, "What do you have for me?"

"Well, we basically found out more about his background, and how he carries out his actions," Presea explained, the rustling of papers echoing in the background, "So we know that Joseph Aubrey was mainly charged with the possession and trafficking of the so-called holy water, which contains amphetamines. But did you know that there was also an attempt to nail him for manslaughter? That was something that happened back in Triet, when one of the people linked to him was found dead in his headquarters."

Now it was Gil's eyelids that did the stretching as his eyebrows flexed to heights never seen before. If such a case was true, then it was likely that those young girls Joseph had under his control would be in great danger. "You realize that if this were true, then it could ultimately expand our investigation, as we now have enough evidence to show that greater harm may be done," Gil stated, the lead of his pencil dancing on the page with each swish, "Who was the officer that pinpointed that, and who was the victim?"

More rustling of papers echoed through the earpiece as Presea sought to get the information straight. "The victim was a teenage girl, around fifteen years old, and was supposedly linked to a group of younger subjects that had connections to Joseph Aubrey. The details here are a little fuzzy, but it was believed that Joseph Aubrey used people that his daughter knew and lured their older siblings into the business, so supposedly this is the first pilgrim for the New Church of Martel and Mana," Presea reported.

Gil nodded his head, carving each detail onto the page below. It didn't matter that soreness appeared from his wrist; all that mattered was that this information be recorded as soon as possible. "And I assume our pilgrim died under mysterious circumstances? What happened to her?" Gil asked, twirling his pen anxiously.

"Apparently, there was an overdose, where the victim had a ridiculously high level of amphetamines in her body at time of death. It doesn't seem to be a case where the holy water had too much amphetamine, and there was doubt by the then investigators that she committed suicide, on purpose or accidental," Presea announced, another crisp rustle resonating from the earpiece, "So under such suspicious premises, Captain Noishe had a member of our team be involved. You can imagine who he chose then, right?"

Gil smiled. "Let me guess, Robert Ross?" he asked rhetorically. He actually heard parts of that story from the visit to Robert's house, as his chubby colleague told him that he was to one to find out about the involvement of drugs, and even pinpointed sources that Joseph got his materials from. "So Bob did try to make a case out of it, yes?"

"That's correct, and Bob did write down a series of good notes telling us the process in which he arrived to his conclusion," Presea continued, reading off each line of neat text. For someone who became a total slob, Robert was once very organized, printing very neatly and giving clear steps in his logic. "He managed to locate the place for a planned exchange, and brought in both the Triet anti-drug unit and Iselia officers. And when they had Joseph cornered, they were really anticipating success."

"But that didn't happen, as Joseph Aubrey managed to link the drugs to some other groups around, which were totally possible given the closeness of his associates to the drug world. He made himself look like an innocent bystander and got the weakest charges, ones that wouldn't register on the radar," Gil regurgitated the notes he saw a few days back, still remembering the pained look on Robert's face when he told the story, "I guess when the result came back, Bob just couldn't take that failure, especially when they expected his plan to succeed for sure. I assume he became withdrawn after that, only paying some attention to the case and ultimately degrading into a slacker."

From the other side, Presea sighed, knowing how the disappointment absolutely destroyed Robert's morale. But because of the relative ease Joseph got through the first case, it was very likely that he would strike again, meaning any of these girls might be in danger. "Anybody in that group could be his next victim right now, including Chocolat," she stated, "Shouldn't we at least have a lookout for them, in case he attacks?"

"But see, that's the thing," Gil replied, tapping his pen in irritation on the page. The beak slowly drilled a hole in the former tree, making a gentle click-click-click along the way as he continued, "We don't have enough evidence to believe that there's an attack soon, so it's hard for us to obtain the records of Chocolat and other pilgrims from their schools. The school board has a pretty strict privacy policy, and I'm not sure if they'll let us fast track the authorities just for protection sake. Do you know what I mean?"

Only the sounds of waves could be heard from the other side as Presea grew silent at the contention. With the lack of any leads, the only way they could move forward with their plans was to hope a lead fell on them. And in the complicated nature of this strange case, that possibility seemed very difficult to come by.

* * *

"Lloyd, can we get closer? That bus is getting further and further away!" Colette requested as the MINI Cooper tailed a large city bus. The two went to Chocolat's house earlier, hoping to check on her condition. And for Lloyd, it was maybe a chance for him to make up for his nastiness and hoping to open her up again.

But the two received a shock from Cacao when she said that Chocolat was out, supposedly off to do her activities. Cacao's expression was unforgettable to the two teenagers, with her watery eyes, wringing hands, and shuddering shoulders. It was clear that this was a mother who was very worried about what happened to Chocolat, and Lloyd and Colette were determined to find out where their classmate went.

"I know, Colette. I'm doing the best I can!" Lloyd assured his girlfriend, his tone bordering irritation and concern. Luckily, during the two's drive around the block, they located Chocolat at a local bus stop. But before they could reach her, a bus arrived and she hopped on, heading straight for the downtown core. Undaunted, the two decided to give chase, hoping to locate her and at least get more information, both to Cacao and for themselves, as to what Chocolat was truly up to during her absences.

Then, as suddenly as they had spotted her, the bus screeched to a halt. Lloyd slammed on the brakes just in time, and from the passenger side window Colette could see that familiar figure clad in yellow hop off. "Lloyd," she whispered, tugging his sleeve and pointing outside. The bus pulled away from the station to reveal Chocolat standing at the bottom of a large, worn-out building. She stared around somewhat nervously, but her eyes never looked behind her at the dark blue MINI Cooper as she hurried inside.

"Colette, this is the only way we can follow her," Lloyd decided, unlocking the car doors, "You go in and watch her without being spotted. I'll park the car at the back alley on the other side of the building and meet you up there." His chocolate-brown eyes looked on in worry as Colette stepped out of the car, her feet like dead weights as they contacted the concrete of the sidewalk. "Be careful, because I don't know who and what danger may be in there. Anything happens, call me, alright?" he reminded her.

Colette nodded nervously as the MINI Cooper pulled away from the sidewalk, the breeze from the moving vehicle sending a chill through her body as she was left standing before the cavern-like entrance. She took a few steps forward and peeked into the dark abyss, with only the sounds of water dripping from leaky pipes echoing through. The cold air coming from the dark tunnel whipped at her legs, almost like trying to pull her into the building, hence into danger. Shivering slightly, she rubbed her arms while her eyes darted back and forth. "Well, here goes nothing," she mumbled.

Taking a deep breath, Colette hurried through the entrance and into the stairs. Her mind shut out anything around her as her feet clopped on the moist concrete, hoping to just get through this and catching up to Chocolat. She took two steps at a time, her eyes not even lifting up to see where she was headed. All she knew was to follow the sounds and keep going higher. Even with her muscles getting sore, she still kept at it. "Lloyd, I hope you can get here in time," she murmured as she galloped higher and higher.

Finally, she heard a familiar voice down the hall. "I'm here for my weekend prayers," it said from the far aisle. Colette pressed her body against the wall, the cold concrete penetrating through her white shirt as she peered over. Indeed, Chocolat was in front of a metal gate with a large man handling the locks. "I have to pay Martel back, since I think I might have disobeyed her," Chocolat could be heard explaining to the man, her voice full of hesitance and uncertainty. And with a crisp click that echoed through the halls, Chocolat was once again engulfed into the unknown.

And just as the gate slammed shut, Colette hustled forward, using the nooks and crannies of the dark hallway to her advantage. She managed to creep all the way to the suspect unit, whipping out her cell phone and getting a glimpse of the area. The eerie silence did not make her feel any more comfortable, but at the very least she knew she had some peace and quiet to work with, without being disturbed or interrupted by people passing by. Peeking around once more, she pulled herself up to the gate, and eyed the room's unit number. "Room 406," she whispered, flipping her phone open.

Colette's fingers blasted through the keypad as she wrote a short text message to Lloyd, informing him of her position while laying low for the moment. Hiding at the mouth of the staircase, Colette could only look on nervously as she wondered what might happen to Chocolat inside. "Please, don't let anything bad happen," she pleaded.

* * *

The MINI Cooper whooped gently as Lloyd pressed the auto lock, stepping away from his vehicle and out of the alley. The old building eclipsed the sun, making very little light shine through and chilling the spiky-haired teenager. His head turned to observe the surroundings as he stepped out, catching a glimpse of the old garbage piles and a large dumpster to his right. Just above, the emergency fire stairs hung ominously, the bars like vines dangling from a tree. "It's almost like a jungle," he observed, "And just like a real jungle, you never know where the danger lurks."

He was just about to turn the corner and head for the building when a shrill beep interrupted him. He glanced down to check his own cell phone, wondering if Colette was calling him. But much to his surprise, the phone was quiet, with nothing more than the date and time showing. "I could have sworn it was my phone," he muttered, scratching his face, "Then whose ring was that loud that I can hear it even in an alleyway?"

"Don't hurry me anymore, I'm coming up, alright?" a grumpy voice snapped from the sidewalk. Lloyd turned his head out just in time to see a heavyset, moustachioed man gruffly marching up to the targeted building. "Just make sure you don't let Chocolat go anywhere, not until I finish dealing with her, got it?" he demanded.

Lloyd gasped. So this man knew Chocolat. Seeing the team of people lining up behind the large fellow, Lloyd had a feeling that Chocolat wasn't about to get out safely. "What do you mean she'll want to leave? Tell her I'm the pope and I'm the one in charge of the place. When I order her to stay, she better stay!" the man roared before slapping the phone shut. Lloyd winced and ducked back behind the alley as the leader turned to his team. "Make sure you guard both staircases to ensure she can't escape. Two other people will guard either side of the door, making sure she can't slip out. Let's move."

The team all entered the building entrance, leaving Lloyd staying in the alley panting for air. His heart pounded his ribcage mercilessly, his body still too tense to move as the teen racked his brain. If these attackers were telling the truth, then the original idea Lloyd and Colette had about the religion being a gang had just been confirmed. And if Chocolat was still in there worshipping, then the cult was about to turn on one of their own. "I've got to think of something," he murmured, wiping the beads on his forehead.

But the sudden beep from Lloyd's own phone shocked him out of his trance. The teen glared at the offending object, which flashed the words "New Message" at him. With a small click, he opened his inbox and read the item. "Room 406, Chocolat inside," he whispered, "Colette, they're coming in, you better get out of there." Hissing through his teeth in a frustrated tone, Lloyd immediately wrote a text message back as he rumbled inside.

All Lloyd could think of was his girlfriend's safety as he rushed through the dark abyss. His heart banged at his sternum in the same rhythm as his feet did to the cement steps, his breath panting uncontrollably as he neared his destination. By the time he reached the fourth floor, the people already spread out, with two people inspecting the length of the hallway while two others parked themselves outside the suspected door. Lloyd crouched down at the break in the stairs, pressing his back into the cold concrete and craning his neck. The clicking of the lock being opened echoed through as the leader was greeted. "She's just inside, Your Eminence," a monotone male voice informed him.

The moustachioed man slipped inside the door, nodding to the two men outside. The gate clicked shut as his two accomplices stood on its either side. Lloyd stared around to see the other two characters scoot off to the far end, scouting out the other staircase. In reality, Lloyd had no idea how many staircases there were in this building, but knowing that they would all be guarded, he wasn't sure how he or Colette could escape. "Where's Colette?" he wondered aloud, craning his neck even further to get a good view.

His concentration was quickly cut with a whisper from above. He stared through the opening between stair steps and saw a blond head leaning over the railing. "I came up to the fifth floor to avoid them," Colette called softly, her finger pointing at the door, "I saw Chocolat go in there, and I don't know if she'll get out safely."

That answer was quickly established as a series of loud yells and screams echoed through the metallic gate. "I gave you a simple mission, and you not only failed it, but also disobeyed me? I try to bring you back, and you chose to put other things higher than me? What have I been telling you?" a deep, male voice raged inside the room.

Lloyd and Colette were about to inch forward when one of the men who went to the other side returned. He nodded at the two guarding the door and took a position at the railing of the stairs. His eyes darted above and below, checking for possible escape routes and causing Lloyd and Colette to duck back for cover. The two teens leaned on their rails just in time to here a female voice plead for mercy. "Please, I'm just doing as you asked, to save as many people as possible. Those two are my classmates, and with my mom, I'm going to give the three the holy water. Isn't that what we're supposed to do?"

"Who told you they needed saving?" the older male voice roared again, amidst some soft sobbing from the girl, "You're just letting those outsiders who don't care about our group poison everything. What if they call the police? Didn't you know that the cops have been snooping around the area for the last week? But then again, seeing how you're always with them and not us, I say letting the cops throw you in jail isn't a bad option!"

What followed was a series of crashed and bangs, along with rapid footsteps as Lloyd and Colette figured a chase was inside. Knowing that Chocolat would have her hands full, the two decided to take action. Nodding at each other, Lloyd would distract the front group while Colette called the police and kept an eye on the door, hoping to barge in and grab Chocolat if she could get the door unlocked or opened. "We can't wait any longer, the police must be called." Lloyd wrote Colette a text message on his cell phone. He sent it to his girlfriend, who had her machine on vibrate to avoid sounds that gave their positions away.

Stealthily, Lloyd slowly crawled up the last flight of stairs, his body remaining in a crouch as Colette crept down from above. His intent was to attack the man guarding the stairwell to distract the two at the door. When those two stepped away, Colette would swoop in from above and get the door. Everything slowed down as Lloyd inched forward, his mind blocking out his surroundings as his adrenaline took over. The nerves on each part of his body tingled like static shock as muscles tightened on his arms, legs, and even abdomen. He hadn't gone on an attack like this since the Cruxis incident, when Derris Kharlan's angels came down and attacked the planet. Now, with equally great stakes, he just couldn't afford to botch this one.

Before anyone could move, a clicking sound echoed through the halls. Everyone stared at the gate incredulously as frantic movements could be heard from the other side, trying desperately to open the door. The two men at the door glanced nervously, waving at their third accomplice from the stairs to come forth. Lloyd and Colette clambered closer, hoping to get a better view when in total surprise, the inside door burst open, revealing the scared mug of Chocolat as she pulled on the gate's locks. "Please give me a chance!" she pleaded, pulling on the metal bars like a falsely-accused prisoner.

"Don't let her out! Block the gate!" the gruff man ordered, rumbling up to the door. Seeing that the two men at the gate attempt to impede Chocolat, Lloyd realized it was now or never. Charging in, he wrestled the third man, the one guarding the stairs, to the ground, pulling him away from the scene and down the stairs.

"Hey, what are you doing?" the person Lloyd attacked shouted, "Hey, help!" He immediately hollered for his colleagues, who were caught off guard by the attack. Not knowing whether to hold their ground or pursue the assailant, they had a slight moment of hesitation, allowing Chocolat to undo the locks and barge out. She slipped between the two guards and into the halls, causing them to bang into each other as they tried to give chase. Colette managed to pull Chocolat upstairs, all the while the third person rolled down the stairs with Lloyd and getting pinned against the wall. "Get off me, kid!" he roared, trying to shake free from Lloyd's grasp.

"What are you standing there for, you fools? Go after them!" Joseph barked as he lumbered through the gate. He was already seething, but was driven absolutely off the wall when the two men bumbled to the stairs. "Not there, you idiots! Go after Chocolat! She's more important to us right now than that trespassing kid!" he raged. Joseph could see two teenagers, Chocolat and a blonde, racing into the hallway and to the other staircase, where hopefully the last person standing guard could intercept.

Finally, the two hustled off the chase after Chocolat, leaving Lloyd wrestling in the stairs. By the time Joseph's accomplice managed to shake free, Lloyd gave the man a flying elbow to the cheek and hurried off. He went down the second half of those stairs, and dashed into the third floor hallway, albeit with a slight limp. "Not smart, rolling off the stairs like that," he muttered, nursing various bumps and bruises on his body. He knew that the person he mugged probably had several cuts and wounds as well, but given that this was their area, Lloyd felt the sooner he, Colette, and Chocolat got out, the better.

Finding an empty room to hide in, Lloyd slid in and gently closed the door behind him. He slowly eased himself to the ground, leaning his back against the door as he took in deep breaths. He quietly pulled out his cell phone and checked for text messages, and indeed there was one from Colette saying Chocolat left safely. "Good," he murmured.

But just as he relaxed, his heart skipped a beat again as his ear perked towards the outside hall. There was a series a staggered footstep, sounding like an injured person edging his way. The footsteps stopped ominously, causing Lloyd to peek under the slit at the bottom of the door. Indeed, there was a shadow hovering around, the dark object waving around under the door and threatening to engulf him.

* * *

How's that for an action sequence? I admit that there's less of it in this story, but I hope this makes up for that. See you next time!


	8. In the Middle of the Night

We're really finally starting to move on the action now. This story is going to wrap itself up real soon, and it's only right that I get going on it in this chapter. I want to thank **AccessBlade** and **Fenrir of the Shadows** for their reviews. Let's hope this beginning of the end is to your liking.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. **Mandrakefunnyjuice** owns Robert (Bob) Ross. **Poet Bucky** owns Cabalina and Fil Ashton. **Fenrir of the Shadows** owns Azul Kharlan. **AccessBlade** owns Cameryn Lachance.

* * *

Lloyd leaned his back against the door, his chest still heaving up and down as the dark shadow from outside wiggled under the narrow slit. The complete silence in the room and the sudden decrease in temperature thanks to the old ventilation fan powering up made him that much more uncomfortable. "Come on, just move on and let me out of here," Lloyd whispered to himself, his eyes peeled for the door.

The uneven steps clopped slowly around the hall, leading Lloyd to believe that the person was, just like him, somewhat injured from the fall. Sensing that there might be a chance for a quick escape should the person pass by, Lloyd slowly lifted himself up from the ground. There was still considerable pain from various parts of his body, and the still oozing cuts didn't help his case either, but Lloyd felt he was ready to make a move. He flipped his phone open and typed a short text to Colette, asking for her current position. "There's got to be another staircase other than the two main ones," he muttered, fingers pecking on the dial pad while his ear pressed against the door to hear for sounds outside.

The footsteps slowly became softer and softer, allowing Lloyd to conclude that the threat dissipated. Feeling bold, he gripped the doorknob, perspiration soaking through his dark open-fingered gloves as he took a deep breath to calm his nerves. Twisting the knob as slowly as possible, he eased the door open, creating a soft click and creak. Lloyd bit his lower lip hard, every muscle on his body hardening as he hoped the one outside heard nothing of it.

Luckily, there was no reaction from outside as Lloyd squinted through the small opening. His body tingled and twitched with adrenaline as he stared to the far hall. The man lumbered around the bend, looking for the final rooms as Lloyd stared on. "Good, he's all the way over there," he sighed. Opening the door as quickly but quietly as possible, he took in the hallway air. The presence of the old concrete and wood never felt so good. The thought of this final chance at freedom rejuvenated the spiky-haired teen as he slowly stepped out, craning his neck one more time at the far direction to make sure the coast was clear before he made a dash for it.

This time, the complete silence was welcoming to Lloyd, indicating the halls were safe. He started off on tip toes, carefully treading on the weak floorboards as not to make a sound. One step, two steps, Lloyd steadily made progress from his position, inching himself closer and closer to the stairway without arousing attention. A few more steps and he would be on his way. "Might as well hurry," he decided, picking up the pace and shuffling through the rest of the hall and nearing the opening before him.

Just then, Lloyd's cell phone buzzed, causing him to pause and retrieve it from his pocket. He slid behind the wall adjacent to the hall but directly before the stairs and flipped it open. "At other staircase, being pursued, need help!" Upon reading the text, Lloyd's brows furrowed, wondering how he could get them out safely. Tilting his head back, he weighed his chances between taking the stairs and going to the other side directly. "I might as well go down one floor, which is the second floor, and make my way back up. But will they still be safe by the time I get back to the fourth floor?" he asked himself. But realizing that the risk of him getting captured being too great, he decided to use the stairs and run his way back up, however fast his injured limbs could take him.

Lloyd's mad and erratic dash through the second floor hallway was indeed too late. By the time he reached the other staircase, he could hear from below the man that pursued him earlier climbing the stairs to the fourth floor, cornering Colette and Chocolat and openly threatened them. "This has nothing to do with you, girl," Lloyd heard a voice say, presumably to Colette, "Give her back to us, and we'll let you go."

Lloyd could only hear Colette's whimpers of fear as the man on the stairs slowly climbed up, stalking the two girls like a predator in the tall grass. With the hawk-like assailants circling the prey known as Colette and Chocolat, Lloyd had to give them a way out. Glancing around, he realized he could make the men go through another wild goose chase on the third floor, but this time, he had a better option. "What if I let Colette and Chocolat out through the fire escape? The police should be here soon, so why not?"

Tiptoeing in, he positioned himself right behind the man on the stairs, separated by only the break in the steps. "So you want to do this the hard way? In that case, we'll bring you both back with us!" A voice roared from above.

Lloyd gritted his teeth as Colette and Chocolat cried out in fear. Naturally, the two took the only way available to them, and bolted towards the stairs. Realizing that the girls would be heading straight at the trap, Lloyd hurried upward and did the only thing he could. Aiming his shoulder blade for the man's spine, Lloyd blindsided the gang member and slammed him to the ground. "Colette, Chocolat, go around and use the fire escape!" Lloyd shouted, holding down the attacker as sounds of clopping sneakers rushed past.

Lloyd lifted his head slightly, just in time to see the two other assailants coming down. They hollered in shock, seeing their colleague being pinned by Lloyd. Taking a deep breath, the spiky-haired teen punched the man he tackled, landing a crisp right jab onto his cerebellum before rushing off. He dashed into the third floor hallway, leaving the three pursuers tangled in the stairs as the two from the top tried to get the third back onto his feet. "Colette, where are you?" Lloyd called, his voice echoing through the halls.

"I'm over here, Lloyd!" A muffled voice from somewhere beside him responded. Lloyd screeched to a halt, turning his head from side to side before spotting Colette in a narrow aisle to his right. She and Chocolat were busily handling the old door leading to the fire escape. Lloyd craned his neck back, hearing the hurried footsteps and deep voices of the pursuers, before he rushed into the narrow aisle and towards their escape route.

"I got it!" Chocolat exclaimed, just as the old, wooden door clicked open. The wood seemed to splinter as they pushed it out, creaking and cracking as the three teens stepped onto the metallic stairs. Lloyd tried to push the door back onto its original place as the two girls took off, edging down each step as they carefully treaded the metal.

The lone male in the group pressed his ear against the wood, making sure there was nobody coming their way before leaving the step himself. Below him, the two girls had already reached the first floor, their hands gripping the last ladder that would lead them back into the alley and to freedom. The beige roof of Lloyd's MINI Cooper presented a stark contrast to the grey concrete around, a reassuring sight considering that all they needed to do was get into the vehicle. "Don't give up now, guys," he called.

After some banging and screeching, Colette and Chocolat finally managed to ease the old ladder down, the metal bars clanged their way down the balcony as the two girls climbed off. From the stairs, Lloyd could hear the sounds of sirens as he hustled down, realizing that help was on the way. "Guys, when the police arrive, make sure we check in with them, just in case anyone's still pursuing us," Lloyd reminded them as he raced down the last flight of stairs. He gripped the last ladder as he rushed down, one hand on the bars while the other reaching for his keys in his pocket. The MINI Cooper whooped a couple of times, unlocking the doors for the girls to get into a safer area.

Lloyd's feet slammed onto the damp asphalt with a loud thud, water spraying and splashing beneath his feet. He whipped the driver side door to his vehicle open and dove in. Colette was already buckled up, seated edgily in the passenger seat and looking intently at Lloyd. From the rear view mirror, Lloyd could see Chocolat in the back, her body shaking slightly and her eyes avoiding contact with the adjacent building. Sensing the tense atmosphere in the car, Lloyd took a couple of deep breaths to calm his own nerves, stretching his hands and fingers just to ease the nerves.

Even as Lloyd stuck his key into the ignition, his heart pounded mercilessly on his sternum as the spiky-haired teen was fearful of any danger lurking nearby. The soft engine hummed to life, the low buzzing sound resembling his closest friends speaking as he pulled out of the alley. The afternoon sun lit up the MINI Cooper, sending warmth into the passengers as they entered the main road again. Finding a parking meter about a block away, Lloyd pulled his car onto the side and clicked off the key. Just then, he could see the police cars whiz by, sharply turning the bend and screeching to a halt right before the old building. "Let's get going. I think we should speak to the officers," he told the girls.

The three teens hustled out of their vehicle and back across the street. Two men in uniform stepped out of the cruiser just as Lloyd, Colette and Chocolat arrived. Lloyd flagged down one officer while the other scouted out the building. "Colette, I think you should give your statement to him first, since you were with Chocolat," Lloyd suggested.

Colette nodded as the officer paid attention to her. Snapping his fingers, the man signalled his partner to return to the cruiser, handing him a notepad and pen as the blond teen began her statement. While Colette spoke to the second officer, the first officer reached into his cruiser and got his radio. "Unit 73 to base, we have a situation with the call regarding an abduction, requesting back-up immediately," he informed the base.

* * *

Gil leaned gloomily on his cane as officers flooded the building. There was a neutral expression on his face, almost like he didn't know what to feel when he arrived at the scene. While Lloyd and friends were still busy with testimonies, Gil demanded update after update from nearby officers, many still clueless as to what they searched for. "The victim's already out, Sarge, so what more do we want?" they asked exasperatedly.

But Gil remained unconvinced, recalling that Joseph Aubrey, the man behind the child prostitution and drugging case, was somehow involved with this. Knowing that Joseph was likely inside, there was an urgent need to flush him out. His anxious eyes were quiet pools of dark brown, not a single motion from them as he scanned the floors. If he could get something out of here, it would be a big help to his unit, many of whom off duty this weekend.

Finally, Lloyd, Colette and Chocolat stepped towards Gil, all of whom had concerned looks on their faces. Their brows were slightly twisted and their lips were cracked and constantly needed moistening from their tongues. "Dad, what's your call?" Lloyd asked, looking on nervously as his father's emotionless face turned to him.

Gil sighed, causing the already sagged shoulders of the three teens to drop even more. While Gil didn't explode at Lloyd when he found out Lloyd knew Chocolat the whole time, it was apparent that no news would be good news with the way things stood. "The situation is now more dangerous than anyone of us had imagined, and there's no way we can leave the case alone," Gil stated monotonously. He turned to Chocolat, who was almost fearful in looking at Gil. Her head shrunk into her already high-collar, like a turtle sinking into its shell. "We have to take Chocolat and Cacao somewhere safer, just to avoid any more issues."

Chocolat almost hiccupped by that remark, while Lloyd and Colette glanced at each other incredulously. How would Chocolat react to being forced out of her home, out of her neighbourhood, and out of the pseudo religion she was brainwashed into joining? After all that defending Martel and such, how well would she take to being evacuated?

But Gil read her mind, as he interjected even before Chocolat could say a word. "Before you start getting at how you have to serve Martel or what have you, let me ask you a few questions," he insisted, his pools of concern turning into arrows aimed right at Chocolat's heart, "What type of goddess allows her subjects to sacrifice their bodies like that? What type of goddess allows her subjects to suffer irreparable damages, physically and mentally? And even if sacrifices have to be made, what type of goddess says that they have to be done exclusive of morals and principles and, above all, the law? Is it not true that laws are made to ensure a just world? Is it not true that Martel, should she exist today, would want a world where different people can live together in peace? What peace is there when so many illegal activities took place, all under the leadership of some drug lord that police in two cities have been chasing for nearly a decade?" Gil demanded.

Chocolat's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, words escaping her as she was caught in a tough position. She was told that by sacrificing oneself, one could honour Martel and give back to her for all the things she did. But yet, even as she was about to act on Lloyd, Colette, and her mother, the pope resisted, calling her out instead and threatening to have the police arrest her. So what was true salvation then? If her duties to the church meant losing all human contact, what did it truly mean?

Just then, Colette, the usually timid one, spoke up in her most courageous voice possible. "Chocolat, I know you have doubts, but let me tell you this," she explained, her blue eyes pointed directly at Chocolat's brown ones, "When Lloyd and I did our research on the last Sylvarant Chosen, we found that she was led to believe the same thing you did and wanted to sacrifice herself. But the Reunification group, led by Lloyd Irving, showed her a different way where the worlds were saved and no Chosen would be sacrificed ever again. And you know how they did it? It was by showing the entire world that the so-called Church of Martel was a fraud." Colette leaned in and grabbed Chocolat by the wrists, her expression dead serious as she continued, "You've been placed into the same spot, and only you can get yourself out. We're all trying to reach out to you, hoping you'd reach back. Please accept our help," she pleaded.

Lloyd turned as well, offering his take on the events. "If there's one thing I took away from my namesake, even with his questionable legacy, it is that there is no meaning in dying. You can sacrifice yourself all you want, but once you're done, that's the end of the road," Lloyd described, tilting his head so that only half his face was shown to her, "I can see the same with you, where you want to dedicate yourself to these guys. But if you continue with this, then all they'll do is take advantage of you. Remember that the last Chosen of Sylvarant was nothing but a body vessel for the so-called goddess, who was kept alive only because of her brother's selfish wish. Otherwise, there was no use for her, and they would discard her like garbage. In your case, I say the same is about to happen."

Gil mouthed a silent thank you to the two as he faced Chocolat again. "We can offer to pick you and your mother up, and ship you guys to a safe location. We will have officers nearby around the clock, just so that nobody from Joseph Aubrey's group can get in. It's not much, but it's the best we can offer for now," Gil proposed, leaning harder on his cane.

Just then, the lead officer stepped up to Gil, pulling the staff sergeant aside and whispered into his ear. Lloyd, Colette and Chocolat looked on in worry as Gil's face changed from nonchalant to concern to downright fear. Nodding slightly, he thanked his colleague and slowly turned back to the group. "We searched the building and our target is nowhere to be found. We believe that he might have escaped with some underground or alley exit," Gil announced, the grim news shocking the three teens, "We have to get you guys out of here at once."

Waving to the officer, he instantly commanded him to relay a strict set of orders to the team. "Tell them to search the surrounding areas, pronto. We have to get any clues whatsoever on Aubrey's whereabouts. Have someone call Protection Services and get them to find a safe area for Chocolat and her mother to locate to. Have an officer escort them out ASAP!" Gil barked out the directions while pointing his finger in various directions. A state of panic descended upon them as officers rushed past in every direction, and the teens knew more trouble was on the way.

* * *

"_Officer Robert Ross, you were in charge of the initial investigation on the case against Joseph Aubrey, is that correct?" a smooth-talking lawyer in a slick dark blue suit and tie arrogantly strutted up to the stand. From behind the witness chair, Robert's eyes twitched slightly as he faced the one representing Joseph in court. He didn't like the man one bit, and it didn't help that his sole objective was to shoot down Robert's story._

_But nonetheless, Robert had to give an answer. "Yes, I was. I was put in charge of the background research by Captain Noishe of the Iselia police, and later on I was under the supervision of his counterpart in the Triet police," he replied curtly, trying to avoid giving too many details. When Robert was told by the Triet District Attorney that he would be taking the stand, Robert's strategy was to give short, quick answers, letting the lawyers do the talking and allowing the evidence to be interpreted as objectively as possible._

_The defence attorney nodded, his lips pursed in an almost sarcastic way. Robert nearly scowled as the man leaned casually on the bench, his elbow almost jutting into Robert's chest. "So tell us, of what use is this background research?" he asked in a mocking tone, "What importance does this research carry into your actual case?"_

_Robert inhaled and exhaled deeply, his eyes piercing through the lawyer's face. "The research is meant to allow us to better understand the situation of the drug trade in this part of Sylvarant. We understand there are drug lords around Triet, and they may eventually run their business into Iselia. Our mission with the Triet police is to stop it before it spreads, and to do that we have to understand how it traditionally worked. That was it," he hissed, spitting every word out like spraying poison at the demon before him._

_But the defence attorney had his own arsenal, as he turned to Robert with an irritating side glance. The poses were in direct contrast as the man in a suit stood tall despite the lean against the witness stand, while Robert was hunched over, his head dipping slightly forward and his eyes glaring in frustration. Glancing at his fingernails, the lawyer promptly asked, "And where in any of the research did you encounter the name Joseph Aubrey? Was he in any of the papers at all?"_

"_Objection!" the district attorney's voice boomed from the prosecutor's desk. Both Robert and the defence lawyer turned to see a tall man with dark-rimmed glasses shoot up. The man's strong build and clear voice signified a sense of authority. He stood straight and tall and held his head high. "Your honour, the initial research is meant to guide the officers to the case. Who's on and who did what is almost irrelevant here!"_

_But the judge disagreed. "Objection is overruled," the plump woman with dark, curly hair declared, staring down at the witness stand, "Perhaps there is something in the background research that may lead us closer to the case. If there are other targets in there, maybe it'll tell us more about the entire operation. Witness, please answer."_

_Robert pursed his lips. Every eye in the courtroom zeroed in on him, waiting for whatever revelation he was about to bring forth. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally uttered the words. "No, Joseph Aubrey wasn't among the big names at all."_

And it all went downhill from there, as Robert Ross sat in his room in the present day, looking over all those old research notes from nearly a decade ago. It was true that Joseph Aubrey wasn't among the big targets, but what transpired was that Joseph was involved with each group here and there, gaining advantages by playing all sides, and pulling personnel from each gang to form his own. Sure it was patchwork to begin with, but when the entire operation caught him in the act of receiving the drugs, the evidence couldn't be clearer. "And that's why the charges were pressed," Robert murmured.

But unfortunately for Robert and the police, the charges for Joseph didn't stick. While the records were strong, Joseph's team managed to make it look like that it was the others who did the work, and that he was a small-time player. With no concrete links to any big gang thanks to his slipping around the cracks, Joseph managed to get off with a slap on the wrist. The other gangs got the major sentences, but Joseph got no jail time. It was a moment that Robert would never forget, as it shamed him to no end. "All that work down the drain, what more can I say?" he sighed, slapping the notebook shut.

He slid the notebook back onto his shelf as he reminisced of the eight years that had been. His spirits were completely destroyed, his motivation crushed, and he had nothing left in his body telling him to continue on. The only reason why he stayed on as a police officer was that it was a government job, and he could use the benefits. Other than that, he just got by, trying to take everything as casually as possible, not really paying attention to any cases in fear more failure would only create more heartache. Everybody expected him to pull through, but the failure of the Triet case was so great, that it made him hate becoming a police officer. Even as his colleagues and superiors kept telling him that it wasn't his fault, and they would do whatever possible to get another chance, it didn't lift his spirits, and further sank his career.

But somehow, with the recent resurgence of Joseph Aubrey, and the new hybrid unit being sent after them, Robert's career blossomed again. It didn't hurt that the staff sergeant of the unit was his predecessor, a man some would say Robert idolized, the legendary Gilbert Irving. With his rich, colourful history as a mole, Gil brought renewed energy and optimism into the unit, giving Robert a true resurrection. "It was like I was reborn, hearing him talk to me like that," he commented to himself, "And it was the first time in years that I could let go of my heartache and return to slaying my demons."

Yet the one event that Robert drew particular attention to was the time when Gil brought him to the Cult of Martel headquarters. They were alone with Joseph's group, and despite Gil saying that Robert would lead the investigation it was Gil who stole the show with some irritating but surprisingly amusing tactics. Instead of letting Robert do any of the talking, Gil interrupted, elbowed, snatched objects, and talked over Robert at every chance possible. Robert was confused, and even a bit annoyed, at Gil's technique. But in their heart-to-heart talk, he understood why. "It's the way you treated others, so I wanted to see how you felt had you been on the other end. Since you weren't too keen on it, I say you should avoid it from now on," Robert recalled Gil saying, "Besides, you're not the only one who can be crazy and cynical. I can play that game just as well as you."

Robert could only smile and nod at that moment, one that he wasn't about to forget anytime soon. By letting Robert truly have the floor, in private and without anyone scrutinizing him, Gil let Robert finally release all the pent-up pain and anger he buried inside for eight years. By facing his problem head-on, Robert was eager to rejoin the force as a new man. "You can't just shift the issue elsewhere," he recalled Gil tell him, "Sooner or later you'll have to deal with it. While it'll be painful to deal with your past mistakes, given the embarrassment and humiliation you went through, you simply can't run from them. We might as well throw them into the open right now, and take on the issue together, in the company of those who are willing and able to help you."

Just then, a small, box-like object on Robert's desk beeped at him, slicing into his ears and halting his train of thought. The heavyset man glanced at the wireless phone at the corner, scowling at the offending sound before picking up. "Hello?" he greeted.

"Bob, it's me, Gil. We have an emergency in our hands and we want your help," the staff sergeant announced frantically from the other side. The heavy breathing along with erratic tone caused Robert to shoot up, his eyes widening as his superior continued his instructions, "We were at the Cult of Martel headquarters earlier today, and Chocolat was nearly mugged. If it weren't for my son and his girlfriend, she'd be abducted. Joseph Aubrey is nowhere to be found, and since you live closest to Chocolat, I want you to keep an eye on things there."

"Chocolat might be in danger, yes? You got it then, you can count on me," Robert responded, snapping to the order, "By the way, shouldn't we get Chocolat to somewhere safer? If Joseph's gang knows where she lives, then she isn't exactly safe here."

"I already got Protection Services to look into that. But unfortunately, it's the weekend, and there isn't as many staff there. I'm still trying to get a location from them, but it's looking more and more likely that any move with Chocolat and Cacao will come in the morning," Gil described, his tone bordering frustration and analytical, "Until then, you have to keep an eye on things in your neighbourhood and prevent any danger."

Robert nodded. He did recall Gil mentioning that Cacao lived in his block, so maybe he could drop by her house later in the night just to monitor everything. "You'll have to give me their exact address though. Telling me that they live nearby doesn't really help me," he replied, grabbing a notepad and pen from his desk. He clicked the pen determinedly, waving it back and forth anxiously as he waited for the information.

"I have the exact address right here, so just give me a second and I'll read it to you," Gil responded among more shuffling of papers, "But note, there's no telling if and when Joseph's group will attack, so keep your eyes and ears open at all costs."

Robert winced, realizing the stakes were much higher this time. And just like the investigation nearly a decade ago, he would be the deciding factor to the outcome of the case. I can't let them down again, he thought as his entire body tensed up.

* * *

"What's the news on the police?" Joseph Aubrey growled as he settled in at an empty warehouse. The encounter with police back at his headquarters earlier that day was way too close for comfort. He had no idea how anyone could have gotten that close, or had even known about the situation Chocolat was in. But if he were ever to find out, he would make sure the intruders paid dearly for their actions.

"No news from them yet," one of his assistants replied. They were settled in a small, open area, huddled around a small table with whatever little things they salvaged when the raid occurred. "They were still snooping around throughout the afternoon, but I'm sure most have left by now, although it wouldn't surprise me if some stayed."

Joseph grumbled. It was his golden chance to get back at Chocolat for her disobedience. Based on her activities alone, Joseph's group already lost thousands of dollars in transactions. With Daggertooth planning to pull out of the deal, he couldn't afford any more mistakes. Moreover, Joseph had been in the trade for a decade, and none of his subordinates had dared to openly defy him before. Now, to have this young teenage girl openly challenge his priorities by placing her mother and friends before him? It was too much, and Joseph's face grimaced, his cheeks redder than tomatoes at the thought.

Suddenly, a loud shriek came from Joseph's pocket, making the already angry man even more volcanic. Scowling, he tore the cell phone from his pants and ripped the mouthpiece open like tearing the entrails out from cattle. "Hello?" he greeted rudely.

"Your Eminence, we're now outside Chocolat's house, and there is no police presence here at all. The neighbourhood seems pretty quiet, and it doesn't seem like the family has put up any defence measures," the field team member informed his superior, "Do we want to go according as planned? What about that officer that you said you wanted?"

Joseph nodded. "If the officer does indeed live nearby, then it's a no brainer that he'll show up to rescue the family if they are being attacked. Assuming you can make a big enough fuss, he's bound to come over," he responded, venom lacing his every word, "But make sure you do not harm the girl, her mother, or the officer. I want Chocolat and the officer alive when you bring them to me. Bring Cacao if you wish, but her presence here isn't as important as Chocolat and our policeman friend. Understand?"

After getting an affirmative answer, Joseph slapped the phone shut and slid it back into his pocket. His group looked on, a mix of confusion and impatience on their faces as they wondered what their next move was. The moustachioed man slowly got up, the chair screeching behind as he pushed it back. A thin smile slowly curled up on the ends of his lips. "My friends, we have work to do," he stated calmly.

Joseph strode into the darkness, reaching for a cupboard in the back. Only sounds of wood rubbing against each other could be heard as Joseph searched for a couple of items he usually kept away from everyone. "You all recall that I have an extra stash of the powder, right? Just in case that double-crossing Daggertooth chose to back out of his deal, I'll still have enough to use on the girls? It just so happens that they're right here."

Joseph came back and dropped two white packages on the desk, the bags landing on the wood with a slight whump. Dust and powder both dispersed into the air around the table, causing a few coughs from surrounding members. "Does anyone still have bottles of water available?" Joseph demanded with his face still in the darkness.

Some group members shuffled around, digging through the mess of materials they pulled out from the building to look for the plastic bottles. "I found one," a voice shouted from the back. A younger man trotted in a placed a plastic bottle on the table, positioning it adjacent to the packages. "It's already got the substance in it, so we don't need more."

"Oh, yes we do," Joseph replied. He approached the table with a slip of paper in hand. Opening the bottle, he gently folded the paper, forming a small scoop as he opened a package of amphetamines. The group glanced nervously as they watched Joseph gently poured some white powder onto the slip and transferred it into the liquid. From the dim lighting, the group could see the powder enter the water, making the formerly transparent liquid murky as Joseph continued, "I still remember my first time doing this, and I had a girl similar to Chocolat in both looks and popularity. And just like Chocolat, she's not exactly big on the obedience file, not after a few months with me. When she threatened to go to the police, claiming that I abducted her, I had to take action, and this is it."

After a couple more scoops of amphetamines, Joseph capped the bottle and gave a bout of violent shaking. The liquid splashing and swishing inside complemented Joseph's tone as he announced, "When Chocolat and that annoying cop are brought here, I would love to show the officer what exactly transpired all those years ago. I want him to feel as helpless as he did back then when I give Chocolat the treatment she truly deserves."

* * *

Kate was all alone in her apartment, hoping to do some studying and catching up with homework when an ominous feeling descended upon her. A strange tingling feeling shot up and down her spine, almost like some external force had entered her body and warned her of an upcoming event. Her hands twitched and shivered while her stomach did somersaults inside her abdomen, and based on the way her blood drained from her face, whatever event she anticipated couldn't be positive. What's going on, she thought.

For the last half an hour or so, she merely brushed the thoughts aside, hoping none of the issues would affect her. At first, she had some success, as burying herself in overwhelming amounts of lecture and tutorial material took her mind off the uneasiness. But as the more absorbed she became, the faster the tingling returned, to the point where nothing could remove the fear engulfing her. With a cry of irritation, Kate slammed her hands onto the desk, shoving the papers in various directions and stormed out the room.

The aquamarine-haired half-elf trudged into her living room, her right hand rubbing her cheek. Her hair was in a mess while dark bags drooped from her eyes. It was so unusual for her to fatigue this quickly, as most of the time she could go on nonstop in her studies. She had always been a keen learner, even during her childhood in Triet, so what was different about today? Why was she so uncomfortable? "Maybe a cold glass of water could help ease my nerves," she murmured, turning for the kitchen.

As she grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it up, she could see the lights from the unit across the way. That enthusiastic strawberry blonde Cameryn Lachance was also busy at work, looking over some papers scattered across her coffee table while scribbling notes on an adjacent page. Somehow, Cameryn always brought a smile to Kate's face, as this hardworking neighbour was the one to teach her everything about independent living. To be honest with herself, Kate found Cameryn more stimulating than her own father, as this young woman was the older sister Kate never had. "Cameryn did help me a lot, and I have to thank her in some way," Kate decided, taking another sip of water.

But the cool, refreshing feeling of liquid washing down Kate's throat soon gave way to another sense of worry, as Kate took a closer look at Cameryn. From a faraway angle, while it seemed like Cameryn was busy at work, Kate could see her neighbour in just as much pain as she was. Cameryn's hands clutched her hair, looking more and more like she would tear out the strands by the roots. Cameryn also had her face twist and scrunch into impossible shapes, looking more and more like a black hole appeared on her nose and was engulfing everything around.

The scene of her friend only threw Kate head-first back into her panic mood. Her arms twitched again, the hand holding the water squeezing the glass so hard that her fingerprints practically welded into the sides. Gritting her teeth, she lost all appetite for the water, suddenly viewing it as poison or acid, fouling up her mood even further. Growling in anger, she marched into the kitchen and dumped it all down the pipe while placing the glass into the sink. "I can't take this anymore," she mumbled.

She marched back into her room and flopped onto her bed, her back stretched out against the mattress as her eyes bore holes into the ceiling. The sinking feeling seemed to be an invisible force, freezing her in place and refusing to let her move. Other than her head twitching around to the direction of her desk, no other part of her body moved at all. The only thing within her line of vision was her cell phone, the bright display the only light shining through arguably the darkest moment in her entire week.

Then, for some strange reason, the invisible force compelled her to pick up the object. Kate brought it close to her face, looking at it with curiosity and with fear. She felt so helpless, but so determined at the same time. There was something in the back of her mind that demanded her to speak with one person, and it was the very person that put her in this current state. "I have to know what he's doing," she told herself, "It's the only way to tell him that I can stand on my own, with the help of my good friend."

Then, her fingers sprang to life as they danced across the keypad, the keys making a strange beeping song as she dialled for the right number. The earpiece chipped in with its own harmony as it waited to connect, all the while Kate's eyes darted around the dim room. "Come on, Dad, pick up," she murmured, getting slightly impatient with Joseph.

* * *

The doorbell sound sliced through the air as Chocolat and Cacao glanced up from their living room. They were told to pack as many things as they could realistically carry and need, and prepare for a police escort out of their house as soon as possible. Gil Irving and a few officers returned Chocolat to the house in the afternoon, and Gil told Cacao of the events that happened earlier. "Your lives may be in danger, so we're getting to police to put you in protective custody for the time being. I can't tell when they'll pick you up, but you must be ready for my colleagues at any moment," he warned the single mother.

But what surprised Cacao the most was the Chocolat never raised a peep when she told her daughter to pack up. Instead of ranting and mumbling about Martel's deeds, the brunette promptly grabbed a couple of suitcases and picked out her clothing. It was like she had seen things through and realized the need to leave the cult. "Why don't you let me finish packing this bag?" Cacao suggested as her daughter placed some sanitary utensils into the luggage, "You should go check the door to see if it's the police."

Chocolat nodded, slowly getting to her feet and leaving the bag to her mother. She was never told that the police would arrive tonight, as she was still under the impression that they wouldn't contact her until the morning. Perhaps they already found a location? Shaking her head, she undid the locks on the door and gently pulled it open.

"Nobody move! Get back in the house!" A booming voice roared as the door was literally smashed open. Chocolat was blown back as two men, both wearing dark clothing and standing at least six feet, barged into the hall. Barely a whimper left Chocolat as the two home invaders glared down at her, towering over her and circling her like vultures. "I can't believe our target fell right into our hands," the man chuckled as they approached. From the ground, Chocolat could only edge back helplessly, squeezing her eyes shut as she waited for the attempted attack. Whatever they planned to do, it couldn't be good.

But the hit never arrived as Chocolat heard her mother holler from the back. "You leave my daughter alone!" Cacao shrieked, pulling out a rolling pin from the kitchen and brandishing it like a sword before the men. She managed to land a couple of hits on the closer assailant, but it was evident that her efforts had minimal effect. "Chocolat, get out from the back door, go into the alley and start going to neighbours for help!"

Chocolat nodded and flipped around, aiming for the back door. She could feel her legs wobble with each step, the fear inside overtaking her muscles as her body shivered with every step. She stumbled at least twice on her way to the door leading into the backyard, and both times she could see the second person edge closer and closer. In her mind, Chocolat doubted that her mother could last any longer, as her grunts of anger turned into whimpers of pain. "And stay out of our way," the first voice roared, followed by a loud bang, causing Chocolat to shudder as Cacao was slammed against the wall.

The assailant soon made quick work of the woman, hauling her kicking and screaming into the main closet and slammed it shut. He soon managed to get to the now-opened back door, the autumn wind swishing around as he exited into the cool darkness. Chocolat managed to reach the fence, but his colleague had one hand grabbing onto her yellow shirt and trying to haul her back. "I got her, give me some help!" he yelled.

But Chocolat put on her evasive moves again, wriggling and twisting around in improbable angles, so much so that the one grabbing her was pulled and yanked into the metal fence. While the man struggled to dislodge from the metal bars, Chocolat merely scaled the hedge and scampered off. "Help me, my family is being attacked!" she called.

The gravel under her feet crunched and cracked as soft sneakers pounded the dirt. Chocolat's footsteps matched her shouts, both in volume and in franticness as the teen raced through the back alley. She leaned onto people's back fences and hollering, hoping someone would respond. She soon ran out of breath as she collapsed onto a wooden fence about four or five houses down from hers. "Help me, please," Chocolat stuttered, her throat coarser than sand as her chest heaved up and down. She could no longer see or hear the assailants chasing her, and quite frankly she didn't want to know.

But her much-needed rest was cut short again as footsteps and yelling interrupted her thoughts. Chocolat glanced over her shoulder and saw the two shadowed figures rumbling towards her, the rustling of the gravel underneath their feet and the occasional clang or knock on the fences the only sounds emanating in this dark night. Chocolat took a deep breath, and pushed herself onward. Every part of her body ached as she headed down the alley, the thoughts of her mother's wellbeing still weighing her down. "Help me, please," Chocolat pleaded, the apparent lack of energy propagating to her voice.

And on it went, with the poor girl rushing helplessly through the alley with the two members from the Cult of Martel in hot pursuit. But in the midst of the confusion, there was one person who managed to catch a glimpse of the action. A heavyset man with slightly curly hair poked his head out of his back door, his eyebrows twisted up in suspicion. "Somebody's being attacked. I got to do something," he decided.

The man immediately raced back into his home and slapped the speakerphone button on. Dialling for a familiar number, he quickly put on his jacket and grabbed his firearm while waiting for the call to connect. By the time his target picked up, the man had a perfect situation to report. "Sarge, this is Bob Ross. Remember you told me earlier in the day to keep an eye out on Chocolat's house? Looks like the cult members are on the attack right now," he informed his superior, "I'm going on to check it out. If you can, call in some backup to my block. Looks like we'll require all the help we can get."

* * *

"Genis, are you in your room?" Raine's teacher-like voice called from the bottom of the stairs. It was one of those rare situations where Raine had relatively little to do for both her graduate research work and her teaching, so she took it upon herself to deal with the kitchen and dining room all by herself tonight. The willingness of Raine to offer her services meant Genis and Lynn didn't have to do the dishes or prepare dinner at all.

But that happened to come with a price, as Raine also offered to cook dinner for them. Even when she was younger, Genis and Lynn knew that Raine's cooking wasn't what they considered desirable, as her stubbornness in wanting to try new things often led to dishes that were near inedible. For tonight, her special dish was a green curry with a touch of sweet flavouring added, deeming it her wildest creation yet. But one look by her grandmother and little brother, and her guests' appetites were pretty much soiled.

"Yes Raine, I'm up here," Genis shouted back, and then muttered under his breath, "I'm up here trying to settle my stomach after your rancid creation." To prevent outright hurting Raine's feelings and dashing any of her hopes, Genis and Lynn gulped down as much of the green stuff as they could muster. The result was several trips to the bathroom for Lynn and a flaming stomach for Genis. In fact, the young half-elf's gut was churning so hard that he thought he swallowed a moving lawn mower engine, and it was still buzzing the lining of his stomach walls. "I can't take this!" he groaned again.

Genis stripped off his shirt and pants, his socks, and even his fingerless gloves. It left him in a pair of baggy brown boxer shorts as he rummaged through his closet. "Maybe a cold shower could get my mind off the pain," he murmured as he searched for his towel. He swore the next time he was asked by Raine to taste test, he would cast a fire ball spell and nuke the entire dish. "I'm younger than her and yet I cook better than her," he spat, "But then again, it's me that Grandma always asks for help from."

Suddenly, a muffled scream from the outside caught Genis' attention. The silver-haired boy charged to the window and pushed it open, squinting into the darkness. Since his room was at the back of the house, Genis had a perfect view of the back alleyway from his bed. Based on the source of the voice, he figured someone must be under attack in the alley. "What's going on?" he whispered, scanning around like a hawk.

Just then, his eyes caught the sight in question. There were two men, both dressed in dark clothing, clutching onto a teenage girl. The night wind biting into Genis' bare body, sending shivers up his chest and abdomen, but the young half-elf soldiered on as he sought to get to the bottom of this. He could see the girl twist around a few times, trying to shake loose the attackers, but to no avail. The two men merely tightened their grips on her, wrapping around her and tried dragging her away. "Oh no, she's being abducted!" Genis gasped, only to grimace again as his stomach did another somersault.

Staggering back to his bed, Genis snatched his cell phone from his bedside table and flipped it open. His finger tapped the number nine on the keypad once, and twice on the number one. Squeezing his face again as his oesophagus yank his stomach up, nearly sending it into his throat, he approached the window once more and waited for the operator. Meanwhile, another person joined into the fray, coming in from the far side with what appeared to be a gun. "Hold it right there! Freeze!" the new person shouted.

Genis gasped, nearly dropping the phone out the window when the operator greeted him. "Yeah, hello? Is this the police?" Genis stuttered with his mind half on the shocking events outside and half on the juices splashing in his gut, "I'm witnessing a kidnapping in the alleyway behind my house. There are two people trying to grab a girl."

"Release your hostage immediately, and put your hands in the air!" the man with the gun called, edging in closer. Genis kept on describing the scene, branding the phone into his left ear while keeping an eye on the events. The operator was getting worried of the situation, but as of now, Genis wasn't even sure who was with whom. They're not all on the same side, at least I don't think, Genis thought to himself, rubbing his belly with his free hand to soothe the pain.

"Oh no, you don't! She's coming with us and that's final!" one of the men roared back, yanking the back of the girl's shirt. Genis winced as the girl let out another shriek, and felt it was time for him to take action. Scaling the window, he put his entire body on the window frame, hanging onto the side bars while getting a good position. Maybe if he could get one good spell off, the girl would be freed. Taking a deep breath, Genis tried to block out every distraction, refusing to let the struggle outside, the operator's yells from his cell phone, and his aching stomach deter him. He was determined to make it work.

Genis closed his eyes and felt for fire-based mana within him. Not only would a couple of fire balls beat the attackers away, but it would also light the way for the victim to get out in time. He could feel the mana circulating in his body, the heated bits charging in the area just behind his navel, where all the mana must go through before being released. His right hand clenched into a fist, letting the mana course into his biceps and triceps. Opening his eyes again, he glared at his target, ready to unleash the spell.

But just as he prepared to let the fire-based mana out, his stomach rumbled again, catching him totally off guard. Yet, to his surprise, the mana shot out of his body anyway, just not where he expected. "Argh!" he grunted, the heat coursing back and blasted right out his belly button. Genis' eyes widened to the size of plates as he collapsed backwards. Two fire balls shot out the hole-like object, his favourite body part, and into the alley.

And as expected, the two fireballs missed their targets, but not by much. They struck the ground between the gun-totter and the first assailant like two fiery meteors, blasting debris up and creating a smokescreen. Each person coughed and waved the dust away, but the one affected the most was the gun wielder, who Genis unfortunately could not identify as Officer Robert Ross. "Chocolat, come here. I'll lead you out," he called.

But it was too late, as by the time the dust cleared, Chocolat and the assailant that held her were gone. Robert glanced around desperately, trying to catch a sight of her. "Where are you, Chocolat?" he shouted. But before taking another step, his cerebellum took a huge blow, numbing his entire skull. Robert could only collapse to the ground as a strange shadow stood above him, eyeing him mercilessly and chuckling in a cold tone.

* * *

Yup, for the first time since early in the story, Genis' famous belly button makes another appearance. We'll see where this will lead us to then. Until next time, thank you for reading.


	9. The Killer Became the Killed

Thank you to **Phazon**, **Fenrir of the Shadows** and **AccessBlade** for their reviews. We're really going to wrap things up now, with the final revealing of what Joseph has planned for Bob and Chocolat, what the police action will be, and the thing between Kate and Cameryn, as left off from last chapter. I hope you enjoy this suspense-filled part of our story, and on we go!

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. **Mandrakefunnyjuice** owns Robert (Bob) Ross. **Poet Bucky** owns Cabalina and Fil Ashton. **Fenrir of the Shadows **owns Azul Kharlan. **AccessBlade** owns Cameryn Lachance.

* * *

The flashing lights of the ambulance outside beckoned the stretcher. Medical personnel slowly eased the wheeled bed out of the house as Cacao was tightly strapped on, with an oxygen mask covering her face and blankets clamped around her body. A petite, pink-haired officer was asked to escort the middle-aged woman to the hospital, and hopefully get a testimony from her when her condition stabilized. But given the cuts and bruises on Cacao's body, Presea doubted that it would be anytime soon. "Whoever did this really laid a pounding on her," she commented, also climbing into the ambulance.

While Presea went with the medical team, Gil and company were in the house, scouring through the living room and back hallways for any evidence of where Chocolat and the assailants might have gone. "According to the police tape from dispatch, the witness saw the people run out into the alley. That was when the victim shouted for help into each back door, and the witness then claimed there was a struggle of some sort between Chocolat, the assailants, and a supposed third party," Gil reported.

Azul and Cabalina immediately combed the back hallway, and indeed found the back door ajar. The cool breezes whistled and swished through the sliver, the night air biting into their skin, surprising the two officers still dressed in relatively light clothing. Azul squinted into the darkness as he shone the flashlight into the backyard. There were loose leaves and trampled flowers in the far end, pointing to some type of chase as the elf moved to the back fence. "There are some fibres here," he called, plucking some threads from the old, metal bars, "most likely from somebody's clothes."

Cabalina waved her flashlight down the alley, craning her neck as well as she observed each back gate astutely. Most of the time, she wasn't into observation and analysis, being more of a shoot-first type, but spending time with Gil and Cameryn made her soften her stance. Thinking back to the day when Robert revealed the truth to the unit, she felt she was unnecessarily harsh on him, and when the unit began accepting Robert more, Cabalina was placed into the role of outcast. "He did do what he had to, and I did embarrass him too much. Next time I see him, I'll make sure I apologize," she decided.

Glancing to the side, Cabalina could see Azul climb over the fence and into the back alley. The elf's stealthy movement allowed him to land softly on the uneven gravel and tread quietly into the alley. Cabalina turned around just as more voices could be heard, with Gil leading a few more officers into the backyard for forensic work. "Better go with Azul for now," she murmured. With that, she also climbed over the fence, trotting down the rocky road, trying to keep up with her tall, lean colleague.

The twosome trotted past many fences, leaning over each fence and trying to peer through the back doors and windows. Most, if not all, houses were relatively dark, which meant not too many people bothered to come out and look, let alone help Chocolat when she was being chased. Cabalina could only shake her head as she imagined the cries for help echoing through the darkness, the poor girl pleading for anyone to help her, only to have them fall on deaf ears. "I'm almost certain this is the work of Joseph Aubrey," she observed, "And when I get my hands on him, he'll pay for sure."

After passing a few houses, Cabalina finally caught up to Azul, who hunched his back and lowered his head closer to the ground. Cabalina positioned herself to the side, leaning on the fence of a nearby house while observing the elf that was poking around the gravel with his foot and sniffed in the dust strongly. "There seems to be fire mana here," he reported monotonously, "It couldn't have been any more than an hour when it was first unleashed, and the source is pretty close by. There must be a mana user in these houses."

Cabalina aimed her flashlight at the suspect area. Indeed, there were dark marks on the ground, looking like something had scorched the gravel, if that was even possible. As she bent down to touch the sandy material, Azul strolled around her, his eyes peeled for more clues as he continued explaining, "Fire mana is different than regular fire in the sense that it can set things you wouldn't normally associate with being flammable on fire. This is because mana affects the makeup of the material rather than actual burning. So in this case, it's not unusual to see things like dirt or stones being scorched."

Cabalina was about to inquire more when Azul stopped moving. He snapped his fingers to beckon the female officer, who looked on as the elf pointed to a strange, box-like object. "This looks like someone's cell phone," he stated, pulling out a small blanket. He covered his hand with the hanky and pinched the phone, flipping it over to see if it was operational. "It's still on," he reported, showing the dim light to Cabalina.

Cabalina looked on as Azul clicked around some buttons. Soon, an answering machine-like message played, causing a sharp gasp from the usually calm elf. Cabalina could only look on as Azul slowly turned to her, his face of shock illuminated by the lone light from the flashlight he held. "It's Bob. He must have been the one trying to stop the abduction, and now he's been abducted," Azul's voice stuttered weakly as Robert's voice from the cell phone echoed ominously through the dark night.

Cabalina's determined look turned into downright fear as the notion of their colleague being kidnapped and possibly tortured crossed her mind. Azul clicked a few more buttons, trying to trace the last call Robert had made while telling Cabalina to look around. "Given that there's a mana user here, I'm guessing the person is either an elf or a half-elf. We have to know the source of this, plus whether they saw anything," Azul explained his partner swiftly, his eyes never leaving the phone screen, "What's more, we don't know if the user is friend or foe, so we have to be extra careful here."

After a few more clicks, Azul handed the phone over to Cabalina and pulled out his firearm from his holster. "Keep looking through the records, and try to find out who he called last," he instructed Cabalina. While leaving the brunette to check the records, Azul took a deep breath and dug deep into his mana. Being an elf, he had the ability to identify another mana user nearby, and he realized he must put that ability into good use if they wanted to find out what happened. Closing his eyes, Azul absorbed the air around.

Seconds into his concentration, a gentle tingling sensation shot up his spine. Azul tilted himself to the source of the mana, and realized the house standing right before him emitted the strongest signal. From the outside, it seemed like any regular suburban unit, with a backyard lined by a small fence, and the second floor rooms still lit, most likely housing a family member hard at work. Determined, Azul climbed over the fence and cross the backyard, on his way to the front door as he sought the answer. "Cabalina, you want to come with me?" he called to his colleague still standing in the alley.

Azul's long, pointy ears could pick up the sounds of Cabalina negotiating the fence as they trotted from the backyard to the front of the house. From the back, Cabalina pulled out her own cell phone and pecked away at the keypad. She clamped it between her ear and her left shoulder while her right hand held Robert's phone. As she waited for the call to connect, Azul climbed the steps to the front door. Save for a dim light from the side, which Azul guessed was the kitchen, the house was relatively dark. Taking another deep breath, Azul lifted his hand and jabbed a finger into the door bell.

"Hello, Sarge? Cabalina here," Azul could hear his colleague speak on the phone. Right now, Cabalina's job was to find out who spoke with Robert last, and if there were any possible places Joseph's group might have taken him to, if he was abducted. As these thoughts rushed through Azul's mind, a silhouette showed up at the door. The locks were undone with crisp clicks as the metal door was pulled open, sending the heated air from inside the house out the doorframe, greeting Azul's body and warming him up.

The elf turned around and was met with a familiar silver-haired young woman. "Miss Sage, I didn't know you live here," Azul marvelled, looking at the very person who healed the police team of their injuries the first time.

"Officer Kharlan, good evening," Raine greeted in a friendly tone, "What brings you here, is there an investigation?" she asked, wiping her brow.

"Yes. In fact, we believe there may have been a disturbance in the alley just behind your house," Azul replied, describing the situation. From behind, he could hear Cabalina discussing more details, presumably with Gil. Knowing that Raine might have seen or heard something suspicious, this interview would be crucial to their investigation. "I found a cell phone belonging to one of my colleagues in the back, along with some fire-based mana in the gravel. Do you know anyone that can use mana like that?"

Raine thought for a while, and then chuckled. "That would be my little brother. I can get him down here if you want," she responded. Turning around, she strode to the bottom of the stairs and shouted above. "Genis, can you come down here?"

Just then, Cabalina tapped Azul on the shoulder, prompting the elf to turn back at her. "Sergeant Irving said that if Joseph Aubrey is indeed behind this, then he can only suspect that both Bob and Chocolat will be in danger. We have to get a confirmation that there is abduction, and then send in a police search unit to all possible rendezvous places Aubrey frequents," she reported, her eyeballs twitching slightly in worry.

Azul nodded, signalling to the phone for Cabalina to keep talking with Gil. As the female officer turned back, a smaller silver-haired boy trudged to the door. Save for a pair of baggy brown boxer shorts, his body was completely bare. There was a grimace on his face, and his hand was positioned right on his stomach. "What happened?" he asked weakly.

Azul cocked an eyebrow at the boy, who seemed almost sickly with a pale face, which was only compounded by the grumbling coming from his bare tummy. But the most surprising thing was where Genis placed the hand on his stomach, as his index finger was dipped inside his belly button, wiggling it and making a small circle simultaneously. "Uh, what exactly are you doing?" he asked, pointing at Genis' gut.

* * *

Cameryn Lachance was in no mood to deal with any distractions right now. The fact that there was still so much paperwork from both the police case and miscellaneous information from the investments and insurance she helped Kate purchase soured her mood drastically. "How will I ever get this done?" she grumbled, throwing down her pen in frustration and burying her fingers in her strawberry hair.

And that was why when her home phone sounded off, it only made her angrier. Glaring at the offending object, which emitted a shrill ring slicing across her apartment unit and reaching every corner of the room, she grunted in exasperation and marched to the small coffee table. Shooting it a dark look, she snatched it off the stand, and stabbed a digit into the receive button, her fingers squeezing the life out of the phone as the ringing halted. "Hello? Cameryn speaking," she greeted gruffly, her face creased in anger.

"Cameryn, this is Gil Irving. We have a situation here where Aubrey's group attacked Chocolat's house. They injured Cacao, and abducted Chocolat. According to evidence collected by Azul and Cabalina, it seems like Bob tried to stop the kidnapping but ended up getting snatched by them as well," Gil described, a frantic tone echoing from the earpiece, "From the past investigations, our unit requested from Major Crimes the former hiding places of Joseph Aubrey and his gang. Do you have that list available?"

Cameryn winced. While she was already swamped by work, she also realized how dangerous the situation was. Trotting back to the dining room table, where she had all the documents laid out before her, she dug through the piles of papers, looking for the right set. "I did recall grabbing those from Azul and Presea once they finished with them. They were placed in a brown envelope," she reported, "What's happening on your side now?"

"Presea's gone to the hospital with Cacao, but once Cacao's condition stabilizes we'll probably call her for an interrogation. Unless you have the suspected locations and can report them right now, all we can do is wait," Gil responded, his tone changing from determined to somewhat helpless, "That, and collect whatever evidence or testimonies available."

Cameryn nodded, her hands now almost ripping through the mountain. She had to find the envelope containing the vital information, otherwise lives would be at stake here. "Where could I have put it?" she murmured, throwing piles and piles of notes and pages onto the ground as she scoured the table. Could she have placed it in another area, like maybe inside her room? High-stepping her way through the waterfall of pages leaking off the table, she headed for her bedroom, all the while keeping the phone tightly at her ear. "If I do find it, do you want me to bring it to you? I don't know where you are right now, so that'll be hard to come by," Cameryn stated as she flipped on her bedroom lights.

"Well, the second you can give us the vital information, we're going to send in the pursuit teams," Gil replied, his breathing rate increasing by the second, "We're expecting at least three patrol cars plus the motorcycle squad to do a thorough ground search at the suspected location. If need be, we may even send a chopper in the air, just to observe from above." Gil's tone sounded both anxious and determined at the same time.

Cameryn scoured her desk, her eyes scanning the surface before reaching for the drawer. "So we're breaking out the big guns, right?" she asked, her digits wrapping onto the handle. In the back of her mind, Cameryn had the most violent urge to tell Gil about Kate right now. But part of her conscience tugged around, refusing to let Cameryn expose Kate, even though it might be useful to the case. Cameryn did feel somewhat guilty that she might hinder the case, but perhaps there was another piece of useful information she could give while she decided on her next move? There had to be something useful, right?

Cameryn yanked on the drawer, hoping something would shed some light on the issue. Her eyes dropped down and there it was: the brown envelope she had been looking for! The colour might be dull, and the lustre anything but shiny, but this ordinary object was worth more than any piece of jewellery in the entire world. Hiccupping a couple of times, both in surprise and relief, Cameryn wrapped her free hand around the envelope and pulled it out. "I got it, Sarge," she told Gil, "It's right here."

Hearing the great news, Gil immediately asked Cameryn to keep it somewhere safe but accessible, so that he could have the information in a hurry. "I'm reordering the teams right now, so we'll get moving as soon as the units are free," he described, "I'll send an officer to your apartment right away, so you don't have to worry about meeting us somewhere. Thank you so much, Cameryn, you can't believe what this means."

Cameryn heard a click from the other side, sensing that Gil had hung up already and was intent on his course of action. She strolled back into her living, her stress level dropping dramatically as she plopped herself onto the couch, a leisurely smile on her face as she thought about the issue. "They're going to get what they want, and I would have helped them out. So in essence, Kate can still be protected," she told herself.

But Cameryn was still unconvinced that Kate was out of danger. Should Joseph Aubrey be captured tonight, then there could still be a chance that Kate's name would be mentioned, whether in court or in interrogation. And with the gang's many connections, what if Joseph Aubrey chose to intimidate witnesses in his court case, threatening Kate to make her defend him? Knowing that Joseph used many dubious tactics in the Triet case and nearly forcing Robert to sacrifice his career, Cameryn could not possibly take that chance. "I better tell Kate as soon as possible. It's about time that she knew the truth about this investigation," Cameryn decided, leaning over and grabbing the phone.

She quickly dialled Kate's home number, hoping the half-elf would answer. The call tried to connect, with each tone sounding like the phone was being worked to death. At least five or six tones had passed, each one piercing into her ears, but Cameryn could not get anyone to pick up. "Strange, did she head out? Why would she be gone at this late hour?" she muttered. Disconnecting the call, she dialled in Kate's cell number instead.

This time, only three tones sounded off before her target picked up. "Kate, this is Cameryn. I have something really important that I have to tell you. Where are you right now?" Cameryn asked, her free hand wringing slightly in worry.

"Cameryn? Listen, I can't talk right now. I have something I must deal with, and I'm afraid I can't tell you where I am," Kate's tone replied. From the back, there was a great deal of noise, creating fuzz over Kate's voice. Cameryn wasn't sure whether it was static or people moving, but it was increasingly difficult to hear her friend. "Can I call you back, perhaps in the morning or something?" Kate asked amidst the sound.

Cameryn was about to inquire more, but Kate cut her off. "Oh no, they're here. I can't stick around, or they'll spot me. I'll talk later, okay?" And with that, she ended the call, leaving Cameryn in her living room flabbergasted and worried.

The strawberry blonde gently placed the phone back on the stand, her eyebrows curled up in anxiety. What was Kate doing, and why couldn't she give any information? "She didn't get herself in more trouble, did she?" Cameryn said to herself. She wanted to search for Kate, but knowing the officer was about to arrive to pick up her files, she must stay. And as this thought crossed her mind, the room suddenly felt awfully cold to her. A series of goose bumps shot up her skin as helplessness descended upon Cameryn Lachance.

* * *

Robert Ross finally stirred after what seemed like an eternal sleep. The first thing he realized as he lifted his anchor-like eyelids was the immense pain coming from the back of his head. "Ugh, what happened?" he muttered, shaking his head a couple of times to ease the pain. Before him, the darkness was so thick that he doubted he could see his own fingers, even if he placed his hand right before his face.

Despite the grogginess, Robert realized that he wasn't tied or chained to anything, meaning it was possible for him to move. Taking a deep breath, he tried to listen for any sound around him, locating any potential danger around. And just like his sight, nothing could be picked up from his surroundings. In fact, it was so quiet that Robert wondered if the people who kidnapped him merely went off. Might as well try to escape, he thought to himself. With that, he slowly placed his hands before him, and struggled to get up.

But before Robert could even crawl, he was knocked to the ground again by a vicious side slam. And within seconds of the hit, two sets of arms immediately grabbed onto his shoulders, pinning him down and making him awfully vulnerable. Robert flailed and squirmed to break free of the hold, only to have a foot planted straight into his spine. "Argh!" Robert screamed in agony as his spine creaked in reaction to the shoe.

In the midst of the pain, Robert could hear footsteps as a metallic creak echoed through the room. "Your Eminence, the cop is now awake," he heard someone report outside. This was followed by several people moving around, their shadows sifting back and forth between the dim light from the adjacent room as a young girl's muffled screams pierced through the air. From his position, Robert could only wish nothing went wrong.

But the picture would become much clearer as the men holding onto Robert proceeded to dragging him out of the room. He was taken to the mouth of the staircase, where that familiar sinister moustachioed face waited for him. "Officer Robert Ross, we meet again," Joseph Aubrey sneered, "You're still the cop with the iron will, I see. But strange, you look different than you did nearly a decade ago when you interrupted my Triet operations. You had straighter hair, wore better clothes, were clean shaven, and had no pot belly. Why the drastic change?" he retorted, his men around him snickering.

Robert seethed with anger, his breathing hissing as he glared murderous eyes up to his nemesis. "If it weren't for all the dirty tricks you played in court those years ago, I say you'd be locked up for good!" Robert spat, shooting daggers at the half-silhouetted man.

Joseph said nothing. Instead, he marched forward and, reeling his fist back, swung a right hook straight at Robert's face. The knuckles connected with Robert's cheek bone, causing a cry of pain from the plump man. "You think you have a score to settle? Think again," Joseph replied cruelly, "I have something I want you to see as well. Since you weren't intent on giving up that easily, then I'll do everything in my power to ensure that your hope is crushed. You will feel helplessness like you've never felt it before." Joseph snapped a finger at the ones holding Robert and ordered them to take him to the roof.

Robert's struggles soon became fruitless as every step of the way, the two men made sure to take a couple of shots at him, weakening him so much that there were no more chances for retaliation. By the time Robert was dragged to the top, he could barely make out the figures before him. There was Joseph, grabbing a package with one hand while holding a water bottle with the other. There were two men holding down the blindfolded and gagged victim. Just like Robert, the young girl was pinned to the ground, not given even an inch to manoeuvre. Snapping his fingers again, Joseph instructed the coverings be removed. "Meet your friend, officer," he mocked Robert, "the same young lady you tried to defend in the alley."

Robert's eyes widened as the face was revealed. Chocolat had tears in her eyes, her lips quivering as she begged Joseph to spare her life. "Please, I know it was wrong for me to not save people. I hung out with Lloyd and Colette, and spent time with my mom. But it's not because I'm disobedient," she explained, her voice weak and battered, "I just want to help as many people as I can, starting with the ones closest to me. I understand if Your Eminence feels I should focus elsewhere, but give me another chance. I promise to do everything you say!" Chocolat pleaded, watching the man towering above her.

"Who told you they needed saving?" Joseph roared, smacking Chocolat across the face. From his position, Robert could only wince, but could not offer any help as his own injuries weakened him greatly. Add the two men holding onto him, and Robert was only deadweight. He could only watch as Joseph continued berating Chocolat, his words ringing through the night and reducing the poor girl to tears.

But then, Joseph paused, breaking open the package and holding it above the teen as he snickered, "I have something for you. Since you want to help others, I suggest you help out your police officer friend over there," he pointed a long finger to Robert, taunting them both with the gesture, "Nothing you can do will make it work now, because you can't save him from the beating, and he can't save you from what I'm about to do. You've been taught that by saving others, you'll reach Martel quicker. But I have an even better way to send you to her, and you'll get it tonight." Joseph turned back to Chocolat and grimaced, staring venomously at her before barking, "Say it! Tell the officer that you'll save him. Lie to him the same way you lied to me!"

Chocolat's teeth chattered even more. "Officer Ross," she stuttered, tears spilling from her eyes as she tried to stare at him, "I can sa…save you. All…all you have…to do, is to…to let Martel cl..cleanse your soul." She struggled with her words, which were only muffled more by the change of direction in the brisk evening wind.

Joseph smirked at the pathetic states of his two nemeses, realizing that his plan had come to fruition. Tucking the open package under his arm, he reached for the water bottle, strutting in haughtily before Chocolat. "There's nothing you can do for him anymore, and we're going to prove it to you," he stated, waving the bottle in Chocolat's face, "We are going to show him how useless he is by turning the tables on you. That way, we'll send you two pathetic beings on your merry way to Martel, if she even considers you as part of her own after your treachery."

At this time, Robert could take know more. He could feel adrenaline rushing through his body as his body tensed up. Using his weight, he swung his torso around and thrashed nonstop, causing the grips from Joseph's men to loosen as he tried to make a dash for Chocolat. "You sick freaks, let her go!" he bellowed, edging himself forward as the two holders were thrown back. Every move Robert made to advance himself was met with a shot of pain, but in Robert's current state, he could only ignore everything.

But what Joseph's men lacked in size, they made up for in speed. Within seconds of being hurled back, they were on the chase again, grabbing Robert and spiking him into the concrete. It didn't help that Robert's injuries also slowed down his movement, which made the heavyset man easy pickings for the Cult members. A flurry of punches and kicks soon descended onto Robert, who was in so much pain that he could barely utter out a cry. "Make sure you keep him conscious. I want him awake when he sees me pour this stuff down Chocolat's gullet," Joseph ordered, waving the package and water again, "Officer, you're about to witness the same case that you worked so hard on a decade ago re-enacted before you. You'll see firsthand how the girl died, so consider this an honour."

Smirking again, Joseph turned back to Chocolat, signalling to the two men holding her to keep her face up front. In one smooth motion, he dumped the contents of the bag into Chocolat's face, smothering the girl with white powder. "Keep her mouth open, I want the amphetamines to go into her," he ordered, shaking the bottle with his free hand. From below, Chocolat coughed and wheezed as powder stuffed into her nose and throat, making her wonder what would kill her faster: overdose or suffocation.

Just then, someone burst in from the other staircase, opposite to the one Joseph and his men used to drag Chocolat and Robert up. "Your Eminence, Daggertooth and a bunch of his men are here. It seems like they entered the compound from the back, and are right below us. They're demanding that you return the money and goods, and are willing to use force," the younger man reported, hyperventilating after the long run.

Joseph paused, tossing the plastic package away as he turned back to look at Robert. Various wounds oozed blood as he laid unconscious, which pretty much sacked Joseph's plan to have him awake. But how about have Daggertooth be responsible for the deaths of Chocolat and Robert? Joseph could get his revenge, and get out of trouble by pointing the finger at Daggertooth. Another smile curled up his lips. "Gentlemen, I say we take a break from here. Grab our stuff and get ready to evacuate. I'll finish things up here," Joseph stated, signalling his men to release Chocolat and Robert.

As the men shuffled off, leaving from the staircase they brought Chocolat and Robert up from, Joseph returned to dealing with Chocolat. Gripping her by the shoulder, he dragged her to the ledge, shoving her back onto the railing and unscrewed the bottle. "If you don't get an overdose, you'd drop down into the dark abyss. Either way, you're well on your way. And when Daggertooth shows up, it's all in his hands," Joseph snidely muttered. Then, in one swift motion, he aimed the water at the mouth and poured it in.

* * *

Sirens blared through the night as a squad of officers sped towards the compound in question. After an officer went to Cameryn's apartment to grab the envelope from her, Gil ordered a massive search operation to all the bases in question. Luckily, with the help of the police helicopter, they were able to locate the compound within half an hour. "We have some disturbances here, with some type of a tussle on the roof. And now, there's a second group just infiltrating the compound," the pilot radioed over, "I can't make it out very clearly, so I'm going to fly around the perimeter to see if there are more people."

But Gil would have none of that, as he dispatched the units immediately following the report. "The helicopter can only do so much observation, so it's time to act," he decided. Led by the motorcycle unit, Gil's officers followed the leads as their vehicles powered toward the compound. With the exception of Cameryn, who stayed at her home as a backup, every officer in their unit, plus others from Major Crimes, hopped in on the operation. Presea was picked up from the hospital, and she reported that Cacao was not seriously hurt. But Cacao required rest at the moment, meaning an interview was out of the question.

The police vehicles plus members of the motorcycle team screeched through the main entrance of the compound, pulling off to each side and halting. Officers filed out into the open area to the sound of the chopper whirling above and the feel of brisk air on their skins. The officers surrounded Gil's Audi V8 as the goateed man stepped out of the car. Whipping out a walkie-talkie, he signalled everyone to turn theirs on and adjust to the right channel. "I want a clean, thorough sweep through the entire area, so leave no stone unturned," he instructed them, "Note that our suspects are most likely armed, so be very careful with where you proceed. If things get violent, don't hesitate in retaliating."

The officers all agreed and headed off, the clopping of the shoes echoing through the large area as Gil approached the main building. Following him closely were Presea, Azul, and Cabalina, each with their weapons drawn. "The pilot said there was another group infiltrating," Gil regurgitated the information to his colleagues, "If this may be a rival gang, we could very well be marching into a gang fight. Be alert, alright?"

Gil hobbled to the front of the building, glancing around for any doors or other entrances. The inside was pitch dark, save for some dim lighting here or there. Figuring that some people might have gone inside already, the other team members scoured the surroundings, hoping to get any clues. While his eyes were somewhat limited by the darkness, Gil's hearing was strong as ever as he could hear the Major Crimes Unit flush out certain gang members, their hollering echoing into the night as Gil heard them shout, "Drop your weapon, get on the ground, and put your hands behind your head!"

Suddenly, Gil's radio fuzzed with static as a team member tried to reach him. "Gil, this is Presea. We found some type of entrance here to the side, and it's just slightly open. There are sounds from within, so we're guessing there's some type of a battle. Do you want us to pursue?" she asked, her usually monotone voice laced with worry.

Gil bit his lower lip. His eyes wandered to the other side, staring at the Major Crimes people drag suspect after suspect from their hiding places. The helicopter hovering above also shined a large spotlight on everyone, grazing past Gil and turning the glare onto the building itself. Lifting his radio, Gil brought it to his face and barked new orders in. "Major Crimes Unit, come in," he called, his eyes darting around, "I'm with my unit at the main building right now, and we're hearing a battle inside. Firearms are involved, so how many of you can free up?"

Instantly, several officers bounded over, leaving the suspects to be cuffed and taken to the police cruisers outside by their more junior partners. Seeing the team huddle in, Gil instructed them to go around the building to meet up with Presea. "Presea, give us your current location and I'll have the Major Crimes people come over," Gil ordered.

After another muffled response, Gil got the information he sought, and ordered the Major Crimes team to the location. As the heavier-armed officers sped off, Gil turned his attention to the two other team members. "Azul, Cabalina, where are you guys?" he asked, "Have you seen Chocolat or Bob anywhere around? What about Joseph Aubrey?"

"No Sarge, we got nothing so far," Cabalina's voice responded, her tone between anxiety and disappointment, "We were hoping…Holy Smokes!" she shouted.

Cabalina's scream shot through the walkie-talkie and pierced into Gil's ears, making the man with a cane wince in pain. Already, sounds of battle could be heard as the Major Crimes personnel reached Presea on the other side of the building. They then broke down the doors and barged in, hollering orders to halt and shooting their firearms. But given the situation with Miss Trigger-Happy and the elf, there was no way Gil could let it slide. "Cabalina, where are you? What happened?" he yelled back into the radio.

But the response was muffled, as Cabalina and Azul both spoke at the same time. They had immense worry in their tones, wondering what in the world just happened. "We have a body…" one voice began, only to be cut off by the other stating, "…main suspect is down. Still no sign of Bob or Chocolat…help over here now!"

Gil scrunched up his face. He could see shots being fired by officers and Presea as they slowly overtook the gang. Taking a deep breath, his fingers wrapped around his cane in an iron grip as he propelled himself to the back of the building, where he presumed the other two officers were. His heart beat fluttered around and his stomach churned as he got closer to the back. Near him, the other Major Crimes officers were just about finished their tasks, escorting suspects out and freeing more people to help with the final invasion. But Gil wiped that all from his mind, as he was only intent on finding out what happened to Azul and Cabalina. "I'm almost there, you guys," he stuttered.

But Gil would receive the shock of his life as he approached his colleagues. Azul knelt before a body, lying motionless and face-down on the ground while Cabalina could only glance around nervously. Gil limped his way forward, fearing the worst should the body belong to Robert. But before he could even ask, Azul interrupted him. "Looks like the killer became the killed," he replied. He gently grabbed the collar of the deceased's jacket and turned him over, revealing the moustachioed face of Joseph Aubrey.

* * *

"So that's how you got involved with Joseph Aubrey, right? Interesting," Azul stated as he scribbled more notes onto the page. The raid at the compound netted them a dead Joseph Aubrey, a splintered Cult of Martel, and a rival gang led by the infamous Daggertooth. Given that his gang attacked the warehouse at the same time Joseph fell to his death, it made him the prime suspect, causing a high-priority interrogation to take place when Gil's team and the Major Crimes Unit returned to the station.

"But here's one question I have," Azul asked, tapping his notebook. He stared across the interrogation table at the gang leader, who looked anything but confident. Instead of strutting around with his chest puffed out, talking tough to all those around, he had his head drooped, his voice toned down and his back hunched. "According to the reports, you're claiming that there's a dispute between you two. And a few days ago, the battle went so far that blows were exchanged. Can you elaborate on that a bit? And is this perhaps the reason why you paid this unexpected visit to him tonight?" Azul asked.

Daggertooth sighed, shaking his head in disgust. "It's all about his plan in trying to get his girls under control," he replied, avoiding eye contact with the elf, "When he first came out of Triet, he already had experience with starting his own group. When I first met him, he really thought he was some type of pope. He knows that the only way to have absolute control over those girls is to make them high, hence he asked me to provide him with amphetamines. Before long, he became my most frequent customer."

"And somewhere down the line, he wants to gain more, and uses this as a chance to take over your business too, correct?" Azul said, his eyes never leaving the page as he continued scribbling, "And that's why you wanted him dead tonight?"

That was when Daggertooth's head shot up, his eyes filled with worry. "No, we never killed him!" Daggertooth responded, waving his hands emphatically, "Yes, I was mad after he took my goods, and I always knew that he'd hide them in his warehouse. I only invaded because I knew the goods were there, but I didn't know that there would be others present as well. That Chocolat, the girl that's really popular with my clients, I didn't know she'd be on the roof. So I really didn't know what happened, honest!"

By the time Azul gathered enough information, he could officially press charges, but not the ones that confounded them. "There's definitely enough in there for concealing weapons, as well as public mischief and general misdemeanour," he informed Noishe, who was called into the station shortly before the arrests were made, "But we don't have any evidence pointing to them pushing Joseph Aubrey off the building."

Noishe nodded. Like Azul and many of the other officers, he had dark bags under his eyes, a sign of the extreme fatigue from dealing with the case. "And we still haven't even begun exploring the issue of what happened to Bob and Chocolat," he stated, "They should both be at the hospital, right? What are the reports on them so far?"

Azul flipped a page, looking at the initial analysis from the paramedics. "Bob has been diagnosed with physical injuries, most likely the result of severe bleeding. He's got wounds outside and inside, and because of blood loss, he lost consciousness. As for Chocolat, she's unconscious too. We found traces of powder on her face and collar, so they say it's most likely an overdose," Azul grimly looked up, gravely holding onto the paper.

Noishe's hands made their way up to his face, his palms rubbing his cheeks as he mulled the situation. Not only did they lose their main suspect, they might also lose their main witness and one of their own. "Have you managed to contact Joseph Aubrey's last living family members? I do recall hearing that he has a daughter," he pointed out.

"You see, that's the thing," Azul responded, flipping through his pages again. His lap was soon covered by loose pages as the usually organized and well-composed elf got overwhelmed. He wiped his forehead, the pressure getting to him as he sought out the correct information. "Last time we checked, his daughter still lives with him. But when we called his home, there's nobody there. We haven't done a cell phone check yet, provided she has one, but currently we can't contact her."

Noishe pursed his lips. Given that Presea was at the hospital, and Cabalina went home to check on more information, who else could he rely on? Squeezing his eyes shut, he shook his head a couple of times, trying to keep his brain clear. It was like the further they got into the case, the closer they got to the answers, the harder progress came by.

* * *

"Cabalina, what's going on?" a young man with mane-like brown hair trotted down the stairs as Cabalina entered the house. Fil was supposedly finishing his history homework when his older sister had to step out, citing an emergency situation with her unit. And Fil had been in a state of semi-paralysis ever since, his mind wandering to his sister and worrying over her safety rather than focused on the papers on his desk. Now, hearing the front door click open, Fil shot out of his chair and raced down the stairs.

"Everything's fine, Fil," Cabalina replied, her voice slightly shaken. This was not the Cabalina Fil was used to. Usually, his sister was brash, somewhat loud, and was never afraid to let her voice be heard. Now it almost seemed like Cabalina had been hit by a personal loss, like a dismissal from the force or something like that.

Concerned, the mullet-haired university freshman followed Cabalina into the dining room, where the female police officer poured a glass of water from the kitchen and gently placed it on the dining room table. Fil slid into the seat across from her and looked deeply into her face. Dark bags sagged from Cabalina's eyes, complemented by creases on various parts of her cheeks. Adding to this was the downward casting eyes that refused to look up, making Fil inquire, "Did something bad happen out there?"

Cabalina glanced up, her teeth clamped tight onto her lower lip. Her hand shook as she tried to lift the glass of water to her mouth with great difficulty. "Do you know Bob, the colleague that I told you about who was a real bum?" she asked, tremors crossing her lips, "Originally, I was going to use today's operation to work with him, and even apologize to him for my harshness. But tonight, looks like he might not make it. He's been physically beaten, and now he's unconscious at the hospital, along with Chocolat, the girl we're supposed to save," Cabalina finished, trying hard to contain her tears.

Fil stuttered, not knowing what to say. While it was against police protocol to release too much information regarding cases to outsiders, Fil had been aware of the news and things that his sister did at the unit. Knowing some of the history behind the main suspect, Joseph Aubrey, and all the sick and twisted things he did to assume control over teenagers, Fil truly felt like taking him out personally. And knowing that both the main victim and one of the unit's own were sent to hospital, unconscious and barely clinging onto life, Fil could feel his fists clench up involuntarily. "What happened to that sicko?" he demanded, "Where's the jerk Joseph Aubrey? Did you guys catch him?"

Cabalina shook her head, her hand now lifted from the glasses. She squeezed her hands under her armpits, rocking like a child who spent hours in the snow. "Joseph is dead now. He was pushed off the roof of the building," Cabalina replied, slight disgust in her voice, "We wanted him to face justice, but he got the easy way out. Now we have to call his last living relative, his daughter, and we have no idea where she lives now."

Fil's expression changed from revulsion to taken aback. Did Cabalina just say that the suspect had a daughter? What was that classmate of his named again? He recalled a half-elf with aquamarine hair and round, thick-rimmed glasses sitting next to him, getting chewed out by the TA during tutorial section. "Cabalina, I think I know who the daughter is. She's in one of my classes, actually," Fil responded, racking his brain hard.

Cabalina's head shot up. Did her brother just reveal the most important piece of information in this case? If they could locate the daughter, there might be enough to not just get the Cult of Martel shut down, but also take out whatever enemies or rival gang that invaded and left mysteriously before police arrived. "Do you know her name? Can we find a contact number?" Cabalina asked, excited as a little child on her birthday.

Fil glanced up, happy that his observational nature finally paid off. All his life, his family took friendly shots at him for seeing the most trivial things. While everyone, Fil included, took it as a joke, Fil had always wanted his special skill to help someone. Now, seeing his sister's spirits boosted like that, it brought a smile to his own face as well. "I know Bob and Chocolat are the only witnesses, so they can't say anything until they wake up. But let's hope the daughter can help you out," Fil stated, grabbing Cabalina's wrist, "Her name is Kate Aubrey, and she's in my history tutorial led by TA Raine Sage. The university student directory should have our contact info, so let's check it out."

* * *

Cameryn Lachance was not in a joyful mood ever since the officer left her home with the envelope containing the vital information. Still fretting over Kate's mysterious tone over her cell phone, Cameryn got another dose of bad news when Gil called her shortly before, informing her that Chocolat and Robert were both found unconscious, but Joseph Aubrey fell to his doom in the building below. "There's no evidence proving or disproving this was a possible homicide," Gil explained, "But given the situation that both Bob and Chocolat were incapacitated, the fact that Joseph was pushed is likely."

And that only got Cameryn even tenser, as she figured that Kate still had issues to settle with Joseph, especially regarding the investments. With all this important stuff on the line, there was no way anyone would take this sitting down. "I can't just sit here and wait forever," Cameryn muttered to herself, "But Kate seemed to have turned off her cell, so what now?" she hissed, her fingers clenching and unclenching around her phone.

The only sounds echoing through the living room were the ticking of the main clock, the seconds counting down to disaster as uneasiness swept over Cameryn's body. Her torso shivered in fear, her hands sweaty and ice-cold, and her face had a permanent wrinkle etched in as she wondered what happened to her friend. While she still felt she did the right thing by helping her police colleagues, somehow she felt Kate would still be in danger thanks to her indirect involvement with gangs. She tried to call once already, only to have her half-elf friend cut the line on her. Now, as it got later, and the results of the investigation came in, the chances seemed bleaker and bleaker for Kate. Stepping into her kitchen, Cameryn poured herself a glass of water, hoping that would calm her nerves.

But just as she sipped the cool liquid from the glass, the lights of the unit across from hers flashed on, causing Cameryn to divert her eyes across. She could see Kate enter her home, visibly shaken and disturbed. The aquamarine-haired half-elf seemed to be in shock, her chest heaved up and down and her body convulsed slightly. "Kate, what happened to you?" Cameryn whispered. Immediately, she placed the glass on the counter and shot out of her apartment, heading straight for the one on the other side.

"Kate, open up!" Cameryn shouted, pounding hard on the door. The strawberry blonde bit her lower lip hard as her eyebrows twisted in anxiety. Her heart pounded like a drum, the rhythm quickening as time seemed to slow down, edging slower and slower as she waited for her friend to open the door. From her position in the hallway, Cameryn could hear a muffled beep as a message played on an old answering machine. Kate told Cameryn that on the day they signed the investment agreement she went to a second-hand store after she did her groceries and bought more things for her apartment. One of which was this old answering machine, and Cameryn was curious to hear what message was sent to her. "It better not be her father threatening her again, or else I'll arrest him myself," Cameryn spat, anger now seeping into her nervously-wrecked mind.

After what seemed like an eternity, the doors finally clicked open. The metal door creaked open, revealing little by little, with some hesitation on whether Cameryn should be welcomed in at all. It finally showed the face of Kate, her mug twisted in anxiety and discomfort as she nearly collapsed into Cameryn's arms. One look at her friend and the police secretary was shocked. "Kate, what happened? What's wrong?" she asked, trying to straighten Kate's pose, "Where did you go earlier? And what was that message?"

Kate barely uttered a word as Cameryn wrapped an arm around her. Escorting the half-elf back into the apartment, she sat Kate down on the old couch. Cameryn kept her hand on Kate's back, trying to comfort her. But Kate could only keep pointing at the answering machine, still too shocked to speak. "The message?" Cameryn asked.

Cameryn moved over to the answering machine, clicking the replay button and listened intently. After a shrill beep, Cabalina's voice appeared. "Miss Kate Aubrey? My name is Cabalina Ashton from the Iselia Police. It is with sincere regret that I bring forth the bad news that your father, Joseph Aubrey, has passed away. We found his body at the bottom of a building, so apparently he fell off the roof. We are very sorry for the loss, and if you have any other concerns, please feel free to contact us." The message ended with another beep, followed by an ominous silence. Cameryn's face turned pale-white, staring at Kate as the two sat across from each other, neither one daring to move a muscle.

* * *

The next chapter will be the last one, and after that I'm going to wrap up the story with an epilogue. I'm so happy with so many new readers supporting me this time, and hope you had fun reading this chapter.


	10. Friendship Taken to the Brink

With many thanks to **Phazon**, **Fenrir of the Shadows**,and** AccessBlade** for the reviews, we are now moving onto the last chapter of the story. This is going to be one of my most controversial moves yet, and it's bound to have everyone talking. I hope everybody is ready to handle this!

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. **Mandrakefunnyjuice** owns Robert (Bob) Ross. **Poet Bucky** owns Cabalina and Fil Ashton.** Fenrir of the Shadows **owns Azul Kharlan. **AccessBlade **owns Cameryn Lachance.

* * *

"If there's anything I can help you with, Kate, all you have to do is ask," Cameryn told her half-elf friend as they slowly marched through the hallway leading into the police morgue. After Cabalina's message, Cameryn immediately called the unit. Kate originally didn't want to leave the house, but after some coaxing from Cameryn, she finally trudged out. She was still shaken up, barely whispering a word and casting her eyes to the ground.

The two pushed open the main doors of the morgue, the bright hallway giving way to the dim examination room. Standing next to a covered up body was a silhouetted figure, but the tilted stance of that person made it impossible for Kate and Cameryn to not recognize. "Sergeant Irving," Cameryn greeted, "I've brought the deceased's daughter."

Gil nodded as Cameryn eased Kate to the bed. She was positioned right under the bright lamp illuminating the body, casting a spotlight onto Kate as Gil gripped the top of the blanket. "Are you ready?" he asked monotonously. With one smooth action, he pulled the white cloth off the body, letting Joseph Aubrey back into the light again.

Kate could only gasp as the moustachioed face of her father was revealed. The head was dented in various places, complemented by cuts and gouges as the face hit the uneven cement ground. The torso also took a beating as it almost seemed like both his shoulders caved in, probably dislocated as Joseph took the dive head first. Seeing her father in such shape, Kate couldn't help but gurgle incoherently. The words were stuck in her throat but could not be released thanks to the swelling of emotions. With tears starting to stream from her eyes, the half-elf hurried out of the room.

Gil and Cameryn could only look at each other in confusion, but also out of sympathy for Kate as they covered the body back up. "I assume they'll do the autopsy of him later tonight?" Cameryn asked, her eyes clear and still like Lake Umacy at night.

Gil nodded gravely. Clutching his cane, he slowly eased himself out of the room. "Why didn't you tell me you knew the suspect's daughter?" he asked, his eyes narrowing to darts suspiciously, "If you told us earlier, we wouldn't have so much trouble."

Cameryn winced, her body shivering as her superior's glare zoomed in on her. "I didn't want to rat her out," Cameryn admitted, knowing that she would be in trouble no matter what after she brought Kate to the morgue, "She's my friend and neighbour, and I truly wanted to help her settle and start a new life. I know she's related to Joseph Aubrey, but so far, I have no evidence showing that she has anything to do with the gang. I'm being totally honest, so you've got to believe me," Cameryn pleaded, her eyes widening.

But instead of exploding at the unit secretary, Gil accepted her words in a calm and collected manner. "Nobody expected her to be a suspect," Gil responded, "In fact, there was no mention of Kate in both past investigations and current visits to the cult. The only reason why we wanted her tonight is to tell her of Joseph's death, and ask her if she's aware of anything that's happening. Until there is more evidence pointing to Kate's involvement, there is no wrongdoing. So don't worry, alright?" he assured her.

Cameryn stuttered, but found it difficult to form words. Meanwhile, they finally caught up to Kate again, as the half-elf was seated at a nearby bench. Her knees were propped onto the sitting area, with her hands wrapped around the caps while her face was buried within. Sensing her situation, Gil nudged Cameryn forward, hoping to get some information out of the university freshman via her friend. "Don't worry, because you still did lots," Gil told Cameryn, "You're still part of the team, even as your emotions are ripping you apart. Should the investigation be uncompromised, there's no wrongdoing."

Cameryn nodded, thanking Gil for the reassurance as she focused her attention onto Kate. "Kate, I know you're very upset, even shocked, at the moment, but the police could really use your help here. You have to tell them everything you know about your father and his involvement in the case," Cameryn described, her eyes staring intently into Kate, "I'm not going to judge you on any of this, but you have to be honest with them."

But that seemed to have the opposite effect on Kate, as she became even more emotional, going so far as to turning violently away from Gil and Cameryn. "I don't want to talk right now," her muffled voice called amidst several sniffles, "I just want to be alone. Can I just get out of here for now?" she begged, hiccupping a few times.

Cameryn bit her lip. Staring back at Gil, she shook her head and signalled him to back off. "She's still not ready yet, although I don't blame her," Cameryn replied, "Why don't I take her home and let her rest? Maybe we'll try again tomorrow morning."

Gil nodded, realizing that now was not a good time to start pushing the situation. Given Kate's already weak emotional state, he figured that any interrogation was bound to get nothing. Signalling to Cameryn that she could take Kate away, the police secretary slowly guided the half-elf to her feet, trudging out of the halls and away from the morgue. "It's alright," Cameryn said soothingly, rubbing Kate's back, "Let's try tomorrow, okay?"

Kate nodded, small tremors still shooting up her spine as they exited the unit. By the time they reached the streets, Cameryn already told her colleagues inside to call them a taxi cab. The two friends sat on a bench near the steps, staring into a line of streetlamps on each side of the road, the only lights illuminating this dark night. With winds picking up, a sudden chill encompassed the twosome. Rubbing her arms, Cameryn stared over at Kate, who continued to hug herself, swaying in a slow rhythm while avoiding all eye contact. "Kate, are you alright?" Cameryn asked, craning her neck.

Kate refused to turn, but her soft voice spoke volumes as she meekly questioned the redhead. "Why didn't you tell me you were with the police? Were you investigating me the entire time?" she demanded, her quiet tone contrasting her words.

Cameryn stuttered. Was Kate perhaps feeling betrayed by this? It wasn't the case that Cameryn intruded into Kate's privacy, so why was she so upset? "Kate, let me assure you that I never viewed you as a suspect," she replied, raising her hands to show that she meant no harm, "I do work at the police station, but I'm mainly an administrator. I'm a secretary, not a detective, so I'm not the one ordering searches into the past."

But Kate refused to reply, a sense of suspicion still lingering over her. To further emphasize her point, Cameryn offered to show Kate her home. "You can come into my apartment if you want, but there's nothing there that leads to me openly investigating you or your past," she reaffirmed, "You were never a suspect, and until today there was no intention by my colleagues or me to interview you. You've got to believe me, please."

"There's no need to do that," Kate responded, her voice laced with fatigue, "I appreciate everything, but I just don't want to talk about it right now. I know you care, and I thank you for that, but my father just died, and I just don't want to talk right now. It doesn't work to talk anymore, so let's just give it time and we'll talk to the police in the morning, or maybe on Monday," Kate concluded just as the taxi cab pulled up.

The two would enter the cab in silence, save for telling the driver the address of their apartment building. And as the car pulled away from the station, both Cameryn and Kate glanced out their respective windows, not a word was spoken to each other. Both knew the investigation and Joseph's death would put their entire friendship on the line.

* * *

Genis groaned as he tried opening his eyes, the ceiling of his room a light blur as the sun's rays seeped through his window. Last night's activities played out at him like a dream of sorts as the young half-elf was still in disbelief of what happened. He was just in his room, stripping out of his clothes and wanting to take a shower when he suddenly heard shouting in the back alley. After seeing what appeared to be a potential gunfight, he immediately grabbed his cell phone and called the police. "And I had to be interviewed by them in the middle of a stomach-ache too," Genis muttered, gently lifting his covers.

But the image that was still branded into his mind was during the call to the police while he observed events. Genis recalled seeing the girl being threatened by two men, with a third charging in brandishing a firearm. Thinking fast, he quickly opened his window and got into aiming position, trying to shoot a mana spell at them with his free hand. Then the next thing he knew was that his stomach flipped violently, and the fireball spell ended up shooting out of his favourite body part. The next thing Genis knew, he was on his back, and his belly button received a burning sensation.

Snapping back to reality, Genis stared down at his now uncovered navel. The sting from last night now completely dissipated, and it was the usual deep, bowl-shaped depression again. But somehow, something about that incident intrigued him. "I know it's the centre of the body, and all mana must go through it, but how did that happen?" he asked himself, gently poking the round, hole-like object on his stomach.

As he wiggled it back and forth, Genis turned his head to the bedside stand and picked up his cell phone. He turned it on and filed to the previous calls log, looking at the last calls he made. The one to the police stood out the most as the words spoken by each side repeated throughout his mind over and over again. Genis barely got out of the shower as Officer Kharlan came to the house last night, forcing Genis to give him a testimony. While Azul chided him for taking action by himself, he was nevertheless pleased with what occurred. Even so, it didn't ease Genis' mind, as he was intent to get to the bottom of this. "There's only one person who can answer my question," he decided, flipping through the numbers recorded into his phone, "I just hope he's not asleep yet when I do call him up."

Finally, he found the number and gently pressed the green call button. He slowly edged off the bed and approached the window, the same one he was at last night while he waited for the call to connect. The morning scene was much quieter now as Genis viewed the alley from above. Police had taped off several areas last night, with blinking units and generally a lot of noise from officers gathering evidence. "At least they cleaned up after themselves," Genis commented, rubbing his tummy while continuing to prod his navel.

Finally, the other side picked up. "Hello, Ricardo?" Genis greeted, his back now straighter as he spoke to his mentor, the one who taught him basic mana spells, "Genis here. I have a couple of questions for you regarding something that happened here last night. I assume you're not going to bed yet, so do you have some time?" he asked.

"Genis, I haven't heard from you for a while, how have you been?" an elderly, but still energetic voice replied. Ricardo had been living in Heimdall for three centuries now, and less than a decade ago was made a member of the Council of Elders. Ever since his experience with the original Reunification group, Ricardo had truly shed any isolationist views that elves were traditionally associated with, and now whole-heartedly embraced integration with the rest of the world. When they met over the summer, Ricardo was struck by the similarities Genis had with a member of the Reunification group, a half-elf mage with the same name. The appearance, age, and attitude were so similar that Ricardo decided to take Genis under his arm. Ricardo let Genis learn the arts of mana manipulation, in hopes that the skill would not be forgotten, and would be put for the use of good. "I can certainly answer some questions, but first, what happened last night?" he asked.

Genis moistened his lips and told Ricardo the entire story, from the point of him noticing the abduction to when he collapsed after casting the spell. "So why did the spell shoot out my belly button like that, and is it because the spell was fire-based that it felt like burning all night last night?" Genis queried, his finger stopped wiggling his navel.

"Ah, yes. Looks like I forgot to mention it," Ricardo replied sagely, his clear voice echoing through the earpiece, "Sometimes, when you cast a spell, it is influenced by the elements around you. And when the mana around you is unsteady or unstable, then it's likely that it'll make you fire it in areas and at times you least expect. May I ask what you had for dinner last night?" Ricardo responded, a curious tone replacing the wise one.

"Oh, it was something rancid cooked up by my sister. Seriously, I don't know what gave Raine the idea that she can cook," Genis muttered, his face turning as green as the curry served for dinner, "That stuff made my stomach churn the entire time, and it really threw off my concentration of the mana. Do you think that's a factor?"

"It certainly is a factor," Ricardo replied, "With the heat from the curry, should Raine spice it up that much, mana in your body will be affected, creating that unfortunate but surely comical scene you experienced last night. But enough about that," Ricardo sought to change the topic, "You did call the police, right? Is everything alright now?"

"Everything is fine, I guess," Genis trailed off. He heard the doorbell chime echoing through the halls and into his room, which prompted him to the stairwell to check it out. "We had a police officer come here yesterday to interview us on what we saw, and I just gave him a testimony. Coincidentally, that officer was an elf, and here he is again! Officer Kharlan!" Genis called, waving from the top of the stairs as Lynn pulled the front door open, revealing the familiar face of the tall elf.

"Kharlan? I know that name, actually," Ricardo responded as Genis bounded down the stairs, still wearing only his boxer shorts, "They're a police family that lived in Heimdall for the last century or so, and they've been among the finest in law enforcement the town has ever seen. They really brought the police and laws of Heimdall into the new world, but I didn't know that they had a relative living in Iselia," he stated.

"His name is Azul Kharlan, and he's an awesome policeman," Genis exclaimed, staying on the last step of the stairs as his grandmother invited Azul in. After a quick few words with Lynn, he quickly pulled out a notebook and slipped into the dining room. "I got a chance to talk to him last night, but looks like he's back to do more work. Do you want to talk to him?" With that, Genis raced to the dining room table and shoved his cell phone into Azul's face. "It's Ricardo, and he claims he knows your family."

Azul cocked an eyebrow. Ricardo, the legendary reformer of Heimdall, and close friend of his parents, actually knew Genis? He knew he intended to interrogate the Sages some more, but this was too good a chance to pass up. He gently gripped the phone from Genis and pressed it to his ear. "This is Azul Kharlan, who am I speaking to?" he asked.

"Azul? This is Ricardo. Fancy seeing you stepping into your parents' job and with the Iselia Police too," Ricardo beamed, "So what brings you to Genis' house?"

"Ricardo? Wow, it's an honour to talk to you," Azul replied excitedly. He heard many stories of Ricardo's attempts to reform Heimdall, and how he never gave up even when met with stiff resistance. He had only seen and spoken to him a few times, each from visits between Ricardo and his family, but to talk to him again was an amazing feeling. But that being said, Azul realized he had important things to do, such as obtain a stronger testimony for his team. "Listen, it's great to hear from you again, but I have to go now. Maybe I'll get Genis to forward your number to me later on?"

With that, he handed the cell phone back to Genis, who bounded away to his room again. At this time, Lynn sat down at the dining room table across from Azul and waited for him to get set up. "So your parents are police officers as well? How much of their decision to be in law enforcement influenced your career path?" she asked.

Azul smiled. "My parents are very supportive of everything I do, and given that they've always had an open mind, they were never afraid of exposing me to new things from outside Heimdall. That's why I didn't hesitate when this opportunity came up. Too bad my first case with this new hybrid unit involves a similar person, where the main suspect also has a child that wanted to break free, but can't due to his excessive control over her." Azul shook his head, thinking about how sad Kate must be all the time. "But let's back on topic, shall we? Let's have you elaborate on the events of last night."

Lynn smiled and nodded. Before giving Azul more answers, she commented on the importance of family. "That's why I'm willing to spend so much time with Genis and Raine, because I feel the cohesion of family is really important. I really do feel sorry for this young lady who has to suffer from such a past. But who knows? Maybe if she does see something that's worth fighting for, she might just gather the strength to confront the past and set her father straight. It's what we did with Gil, just to keep his head on while he's undercover, and look what happened?" Lynn stated, her eyes drifting as she thought about Gil overcoming his hardships, "Anyway, what else do you want to know about?"

Azul paused. Suddenly a train of thought rushed through his mind. Was there something from Lynn's words that had merit and warranted further investigation? Given that Lynn had two half-elf grandchildren, maybe she was familiar with half-elf mindsets. Scribbling down some notes, Azul made sure to check with certain departments over some documents when he returned to the station after the interview.

* * *

"Thank you for doing this, Cameryn," Cabalina stated as her strawberry blond colleague entered the interrogation room. While the team figured that Cameryn was involved with Kate for a while before Joseph's death, they decided to find out how much she actually knew about Kate. Gil had assured Cameryn that the unit did not suspect Cameryn of compromising the investigation. Instead, it was merely an opportunity to know Kate better. Given that she was the only source of this information since Kate moved out from Joseph's, Cameryn had no choice but to comply.

"First, I would just like to know, how long have you actually known Kate?" Cabalina asked, clicking on her pen and facing Cameryn. She tried keeping a friendly tone, hoping it wouldn't intimidate Cameryn into not talking.

Cameryn swallowed. Despite the relatively bright lamp and the light-coloured walls, she could feel the surroundings somewhat collapse in on her as she thought about her encounters with Kate. Their friendship began innocently enough, with Kate being a new tenant in need of help, and Cameryn, who lived in the apartment right across from hers, was willing to offer it. But what turned out to be simple gestures to make life easier for Kate spun out of control, and led to the current situation where Kate's entire past was revealed. Somehow, Cameryn felt she was responsible for some of the mistrust the unit had for her, mainly because of her stubborn nature to stay loyal to Kate.

But nonetheless, she decided to make things right. "We met a week or two ago," she began, and told Cabalina the story from when they first ran into each other in the elevator, to the day they discussed some investments options for Kate. "The entire time, I had no idea she was related to Joseph Aubrey, and that's the honest truth."

Cabalina stopped writing and glanced up at Cameryn, who was shivering slightly as the ventilation fan suddenly clicked on. For some reason, the lights above seemed to zero in on Cameryn. It created a bright circular aura around the secretary, who had her eyes to the ground and refused to move. Gently placing her pen down, Cabalina reached across and grabbed Cameryn's hand. "Nobody's accusing you of anything, Cameryn," she stated calmly, "If you didn't know, you didn't know. There's nothing more to it."

Cameryn lifted her head, some of her strawberry blond hair dropping down onto her face as she swallowed hard again. "We might as well continue then, huh?" she murmured, looking helplessly at her friend and colleague, "The next time we saw each other, I was helping her with her investments, and I was present when she met with the sales agent."

Cabalina nodded, the pen swishing around on the page as more and more dark marks appeared onto the white surface. "In investment situations like these, there's a chance that she might have brought ID or other personal information. Did you recall seeing anything that led you to believe that she was related to our suspect?" she asked.

Cameryn winced, knowing that her decision to stay loyal was about to haunt her. "Promise me that this will not mean obstruction of justice, alright?" she begged Cabalina, who cocked an eyebrow at her, "I did notice the name Joseph Aubrey in some of her documents, but I didn't really consult her about it. Given that it was her business, I didn't feel it was right to intervene, I'm so sorry!" she concluded, her eyelids like a cracking dam struggling to hold the waterfall of tears.

Cabalina could hear the hiccups from Cameryn. While Cabalina did feel sorry for Cameryn, they had to get to the bottom of this. Perhaps they were right all along, and Kate was just an innocent bystander inadvertently caught in her father's complex web. But there was always a chance that Kate hid something behind that insecure exterior, and Cameryn was merely Kate's bait. Nonetheless, Cabalina was intent on pressing forward. "I guess by not intervening you did do the right thing, since you don't want to arouse her suspicions," she commented, "So what happened next? What else did you notice?"

Cameryn shook her head violently, her strawberry hair flailing in every direction. It became even messier than it was in the morning, when she woke up groggy and snappy and didn't even bother to comb it properly. "I didn't see anything else. I was too torn between exposing Kate and keeping it a secret. But I did everything else to help the case, and I was eventually going to confront her. But then it happened, and…" she trailed off.

Sensing that things were getting out of hand, Cabalina decided against asking more questions. Closing her book, she tapped Cameryn on the shoulder, summoning her to rise. She brought her out of the interrogation room and into the staff lounge where she prepared a couple of cups of coffee for them. As Cameryn wrapped her hands around the cup containing the warm liquid, Cabalina stepped back into the unit office to hand in her report. As she sipped the coffee from her cup, she could see Presea entering the captain's office, where Noishe and Gil were waiting. Inhaling hard, Cabalina followed suit as well.

"I didn't get much from Cacao," Presea reported as Cabalina slipped into the office, "She's still extremely fatigued, and has various injuries that will take weeks to recover from. But apparently, Aubrey's men just ambushed her the night before we are to take her into the witness protection program. She tried to hold them off while Chocolat escaped through the back door, but she was then overpowered." Presea handed the report to her superiors, and then gently wiped her own forehead. Like many others, she had an extremely rough night as well, and was hoping to get a bit of rest. But knowing that there were still so many loose ends, she figured it was unlikely.

Noishe glanced quickly through the report before handing it to Gil. Turning back to Presea, the former Protozoan asked, "How's Chocolat doing so far? She's one of two victims here, so how's her current state? And what about Bob, too?"

Presea shook her head. "Bob and Chocolat are both in comas right now. Doctors say that it'll take a while before all the amphetamines are flushed out of Chocolat's body, and for Bob's wounds to heal," she reported the grim news, "They are our only two real witnesses to the crimes, and until they wake up, we're entirely on our own."

Noishe pursed his lips, concerned for the states of the victims and his colleague. He shot a side-glance at Gil, who seemed more fascinated with the report than anything else. "I have no further questions for you, Presea. You can head back out for now, and see where else we haven't searched for clues. We might have missed something here or there, but for now, let's deal with Cabalina." Noishe turned to the brunette.

Presea nodded and stepped out of the office just as Cabalina handed over her folder. She strolled through the now vacant unit, taking in the quietness as the usually bustling office was nothing but an empty void. This was their first case, and already it took quite a strain on them. She could only hope that there would be fruits to their labour, given that this latest turn of events just threw everything upside down. But before Presea could take another step, Azul hurried into the office. "Hi, Presea. How are things at your end?" he quickly greeted the pink-haired officer before diving into his cubicle.

Perplexed by the usually calm elf's mad dash, Presea was intent on digging a bit deeper into Azul. Approaching his desk, she could see Azul flip through a bunch of pages in a hurry, his finger tapping nervously on the page as he reached for his phone. As Azul pecked at the numbers, Presea asked, "What exactly is going on here?"

Azul looked up, still waiting for the call to connect. "I spoke with the witnesses to the kidnapping in the alley last night. You know that family of half-elves? It turns out the grandmother they live with is a human, and she gave me a great sense of inspiration, and I'm following up on it. Tell me, when will Kate be in here for an interrogation?"

* * *

Lloyd and Colette shot up as the front door to the Irving household clicked open. It was just a typical weekend where Lloyd and Colette gathered to do their project and tie up some loose ends before handing it in. They were about to print when Gil marched into the house, prompting the two to check it out. "Dad, you're back!" Lloyd exclaimed.

Gil looked up to see the spiky-haired teen and his blond-haired girlfriend hustle down the stairs. Limping towards them on his cane, Lloyd and Colette could see the fatigue in Gil's face. Wrinkles and creases were all over Gil's face and clothing, which were complemented by dark bags under his eyes and messy hair. But despite the facial expression, Gil sounded awfully determined. "Lloyd, Colette, I can't talk right now. I'm still waiting for some crucial information to arrive," Gil sputtered, a couple of coughs filling in the sentence. It was like Gil intended to run on pure adrenaline.

Lloyd and Colette exchanged a concerned look as they followed Gil into the dining room. The former mole reached into the fridge and pulled out two slices of bread, some ham and a piece of cheese. Slapping the sandwich together, he placed it onto a plate and shoved it into the microwave. "Dad, what happened? Where is Chocolat? Is everyone okay?" Lloyd demanded, his brown eyes darting around in fear.

Gil turned to face Lloyd amidst the soft humming of the microwave. The lone light from the kitchen was the only thing lighting up Gil's tired-looking face. "I can't say too much right now, since we're into the most sensitive stage of the investigation," he told Lloyd and Colette, "But yes, Chocolat has been rescued and we will be monitoring her health. She's taken quite a beating, and will require medical attention for now."

Lloyd and Colette stared at each other, not knowing what to say. The beep from the microwave was followed by an ominous silence, with the only sound coming from the wind whistling through a slightly ajar window. Gil leaned into the microwave to grab his food before plopping down onto a dining room chair. He calmly took a bite of the sandwich before glancing up at the teens again. Just then, Colette spoke. "Poor Chocolat, she never saw it coming. She joined the group all because she felt she could be closer to the goddess, only to have them turn on her and hurt her like that, it's too much!"

Gil turned to Colette, his expression surprisingly neutral. He wanted to look like he sympathized with Colette and Chocolat, but somewhere deep inside he had one of his famous one-liner rebuttals at the ready. "I do understand your position, Colette, but have you considered the background of the situation?" Gil retorted, his eyes aiming straight for the blonde, "While Chocolat has indeed made some bad choices, and we do wish better things happened, can we discount the efforts of this pseudo-religious cult to lure people?"

Gil took another bite into his sandwich while motioning Lloyd and Colette to join him at the table as he explained, "When a group like this is bent on harming society, it's really up to the person to withstand them. We in the police department always tell our citizens that it's about choice, and it's up to them to make the right choice, but there are always those people who fall through the cracks. Cacao is an example, as she really is a hard-working single parent. But she's so focused on bringing food on the table for Chocolat that she simply doesn't have the time to monitor her completely. And it's these people that the gangs try to manipulate." Gil licked the crumbs from the side of his mouth and continued, "When one uses the reliance some of us still have for a supernatural being and turns it against us, there's no telling what the result may be."

Lloyd and Colette stared incredulously, not knowing how to respond to the increasingly unpredictable Gil Irving. Was he saying that religion had become a crux for the weak-minded? "Dad, you can't be serious, right?" Lloyd sputtered, watching his father take another bite out of the sandwich, "You can't say that every religious group is corrupting people's minds. What about the two last Chosen and the positives they gave?"

Gil shook his head, swallowing the food hard. "I never said individuals were bad, nor did I say the Church of Martel was bad," he reiterated his point, "Obviously there are pastors and other religious figures who do believe in a better world, and your research did say that they played a role after the Reunification. But there are always those who take advantage of the higher powers as a way to control people. They think people will never question a figure of authority, and to ensure that, poor girls like Chocolat are kidnapped and drugged into coercion, even though this is condemned by every moral figure."

Lloyd and Colette had their eyebrows twisted into improbable shapes. While they knew that this current group had nothing to do with the historical Church of Martel, they were still shocked to see how a figure held in such high regard became a tool for the evil-doers. "Mr. Irving, did you ever believe in Martel?" Colette asked meekly.

Gil's back straightened as the question hit him like a brick to the face. He slowly placed the sandwich down on the plate and faced Colette, his expression neither angry nor flustered. Reaching deep into his memory, back to the days when his family was still complete, his friends trusted and respected his job, and he never had to lie to his loved ones, he slowly stated, "For a while, I truly believe I already reached Martel. But when things fell apart for me, I realized that it's no longer useful to merely sit around asking Martel for guidance. My wife's death and the subsequent Cruxis case that took me undercover put my faith in everything to the test."

Lloyd and Colette inched forward as Gil continued, his eyes glancing into the distance as he reminisced of his undercover case. "I kept telling myself to go forward, in hopes that there will be a better future for all of us. This was one battle that I had to fight alone, and nobody, natural or supernatural, can help me with." Gil was beaten physically, decimated emotionally, and all the while having to lie to his friends just to protect his son. But in the end, it was his belief in the support of passionate friends and unwavering dedication to justice that pulled him through. In the process he managed to earn back the trust and respect of those he loved. "But I did realize one thing. Even if Martel is the one keeping the world together, I doubt we should use her as a crutch. That's why the only thing we can do is our part to better our world," Gil concluded.

Suddenly, the phone shrieked from across the house, sending the shrill noise off the walls as the three inhabitants glanced at the living room. Grabbing his cane from the side of the table, Gil hobbled his way to the phone, the half-eaten sandwich no longer a concern as he anticipated the conversation. Clicking the main button, he brought the phone close to his face. "Hello? This is Gil Irving," he greeted tensely.

"Gil, it's Presea," a calm female voice answered, "We have the stuff you wanted to look for. We got info from the Kate interview and Azul got more stuff to add after he consulted with another unit. Do you want to hear it right now?" she asked.

Immediately, Gil snatched a notepad from the nearby coffee table. Grabbing a pen from his pocket, he told Presea to proceed. Taking a deep breath, he pressed the tip of the pen onto the page as the pink-haired officer began. "Kate claims that she stepped out of her apartment at around eight or nine last night. She said she did bring her cell phone, but didn't recall hearing any weird calls in particular. However, we did obtain from Cameryn in her interview that she called Kate at least once during this time, so there's obviously an inconsistency right there," Presea described, listing the facts off like a laundry list.

Gil's pen scratched furiously onto the paper, the ballpoint tip nearly tearing the page to shreds as the ink squirted into words onto the white surface. All this only created more points to lead to the conclusion for the case, and he couldn't possibly miss one bit of detail. "What else happened? Any clues on where Kate went?" he asked.

"Kate never revealed that detail, and we didn't want to seem too forceful in our attempts to find out more," Presea replied, the flipping of pages echoing through Gil's earpiece, "We did ask her for some phone records, but she refused to give them to us. We ended up going back to Cameryn and checking her phone records. Cameryn was kind enough to let us see them, and we got the confirmation from her."

Gil paused, every muscle in his body tightening as the moment of truth arrived. From behind, he could feel Lloyd and Colette tensing up too as Presea announced the crucial evidence. "Cameryn tried to call Kate several times, but only connected once. She said that Kate told her there was personal business to attend to, and promptly cut the call. Cameryn couldn't find Kate until ten or eleven, and by then Cabalina already left a message on Kate's answering machine informing her of Joseph's death."

Gil snapped his finger. "That's the one," he stated, a wide grin on his face, "Since Kate has nobody pinpointing her location during this time, this is a perfect lead to follow. Didn't Joseph Aubrey hide a bunch of loot in that warehouse? And didn't Azul get from Daggertooth's interview that he intended on invading just to get it back? What happened to the loot? There wasn't anything collected from there, right?" Gil demanded.

"No, there isn't," Presea replied amidst more page flipping, "Then Azul called up the forensics team to discuss the presence of any amphetamines in floors below the roof. The forensics unit reported that other than on the victim, there were absolutely no amphetamines found in any part of the building. So whatever happened in there, someone with knowledge of the place or cult must have sneaked in and taken it away," Presea concluded with a flourish.

"I see," Gil scribbled the information on his page again, "How about the deceased and his contact information? Has anybody called him during this time? Forensics should have collected his phone records, so what information did we retrieve from there?"

"Forensics went through the phone records of Joseph Aubrey's cell phone, and found that Kate did in fact contact Joseph several times. From the time she cut Cameryn off, to the time she shut her phone down, there were three calls," Presea reported, "One was from right after Cameryn called, and the other two were fifteen and thirty minutes after, respectively. Assuming that Cameryn was telling the truth when she said she had no contact with Kate, it's possible that Kate was turning the phone off to avoid her."

Gil chuckled. That Azul must have been a busy man, given the amount of phone calls he had to make to all the units. "So let's put the picture together. Kate was nowhere to be found during the time of the death, but she did contact Joseph Aubrey several times. The forensics team found no amphetamines at the scene other than on Bob and Chocolat. And the killer was bound to know some information, whether obtained accidentally or purposefully, on the hideout. So where does that leave us?" he summarized.

There was silence for a few seconds, and then Presea replied, "Given that she has limited contacts, and the amphetamines are supposedly still missing, where would be the first place she'll turn to if she wants help?" she asked rhetorically.

* * *

Cameryn Lachance was in a world of unease as she wandered her apartment with a broom in hand, sweeping dust out of every corner like she could sweep the events of the night before and this morning out of her mind. She already cooperated with her unit in every way possible, to the point where even her cell phone records was jotted down by the team. But suspicion regarding what happened still remained, and her friends were intent on finding out. "We'll call you if we want anything else," she recalled hearing.

And that was where Cameryn found herself, locked up in her own home waiting for a phone call that she wasn't even sure if it would arrive. Knowing that they were to interview Kate after her, Cameryn knew that things were far from over for her and her half-elf friend. "At least I got off easy. I've been cleared as a suspect, but the same can't be said for Kate," she commented. Her colleagues told her that the evidence pointed to no wrongdoing or cover-up from Cameryn, and no internal investigation was required.

Cameryn placed the broom against the wall and sat on her couch, her mind still flustered as ever. Although her friends never openly declared it, somehow Cameryn had the feeling that they now viewed Kate as not just a suspect, but the main suspect. Even as the time ticked by, and Kate was supposed to have returned from police headquarters, there was still no sign of her. And it didn't help that phone records were searched, meaning Kate was unlikely to have her cell phone available. Given the consequences, Cameryn's stomach flipped and turned continuously.

Suddenly, the phone on the counter snapped Cameryn out of her trance, making her nearly fall off her sofa. Snatching the phone off the stand, Cameryn clicked the connect button, only to be interrupted by the other side even before she could greet them. "Cameryn, are you available?" Kate's voice echoed through the earpiece.

Cameryn could hear Kate's shaky tone, her voice nearly cracking as she asked for help. "Kate, where are you right now?" she asked, "What happened to you? What did the unit say when they finished the interrogation? Please tell me they cleared you somehow."

But Kate didn't answer her question. Instead, she insisted that Cameryn came over to her unit. "There's an important issue I must talk to you about, and I can't just stay here with this baggage on my shoulders," she whispered, almost like an invisible assailant stalked her during the call, "I want you to come over right now."

Part of Cameryn felt extremely suspicious about this remark. Did something occur at the police station that caused Kate to be so upset? Perhaps Cameryn ought to call up her colleagues to confirm what happened, given she was involved in the investigation. But figuring that calming her friend down was more important, Cameryn agreed to her proposal. Placing her phone back onto the holder, she immediately shot out her door and approached the next unit, not even bothering to close her own door properly, let alone locking it. "Kate, open up," she murmured, slamming her fist against the wood.

Finally, the half-elf slowly pulled the door open, revealing a fatigued and disinterested face. It was almost like the constant interrogation from police earlier in the day made Kate no longer want to deal with anyone or anything. Moving like each foot of hers weighed over a ton, Kate trudged to the side to allow Cameryn in. The strawberry blonde moved to the living room couch, taking a seat nervously while Kate locked the door. "Is there something wrong? What happened? Please, tell me!" Cameryn pleaded.

Kate took a seat next to Cameryn, her hair covering the side of her face. Like most of the officers and Cameryn, Kate hadn't gotten a chance to change out of her clothes, or gotten a good wash. Her shirt was smudged and wrinkled, while her hair was thrown about in all directions. Cameryn could only look on as Kate reached to the small table before, shuffling some papers around in slow motion. "What is this, Kate? Is this the investments that we did a few days back?" Cameryn demanded.

Kate nodded, still refusing to face Cameryn. Her hand was about to reach under the files, but something kept delaying this move. "Uh, ugh," Kate sputtered, her hand twitching it hovered above the papers, with beads of sweat starting to show on her forehead. The only thing Kate could possibly hope for is that Cameryn understood what went on, and wished that Cameryn would support her decision here one last time.

But Cameryn's eyes were quicker, as years of academy training and working in the hectic secretarial environment made her awareness for suspicious or unusual objects skyrocket. "What are these packages?" she asked, reaching under the files.

Kate was about to holler, but it was too late as Cameryn's right thumb and index finger pinched onto the corner of the package. Like yanking a carrot out of the ground, the bespectacled secretary pulled the bag from underneath the pile and inspected it carefully. She even brought it to her nose, giving it a couple of whiffs. Beside her, Kate shivered in fear, not knowing whether to snatch the packet away from her friend or to just tell the truth. But either way, Kate realized that Cameryn was not about to let this slide.

Cameryn's hand shook as she glanced over at Kate. The police secretary's eyes were larger than plates as she stuttered in shock, "Kate, is this what I think it is?" she asked, her voice hoarse and broken, "Did you have anything to do with the cult?"

* * *

"Alright team, let's go over the steps," Noishe instructed as they got off their cars and entered the lobby, "Azul and Presea, you two go to Cameryn's. Brief her on the plan and see if she's willing to be a negotiator for us. At this current step, Kate might only accept talking to Cameryn. Gil, Cabalina, and I will stake out Kate's apartment to see if it's safe. We're still not sure if Kate is an active member of her father's group, or if she's just an innocent bystander. We have to make sure first, so let's move out."

Noishe approached the security guard, asking for the correct information while Azul and Presea entered the elevator. Pressing the correct floor, Azul and Presea were in complete silence as they pondered what was about to unfold. The only sound echoing through the elevator compartment was the humming of the engine as they were lifted up floor by floor, the bell dinging at each one. When the doors whipped open again, a flurry of thoughts blasted their minds. Was Cameryn truly putting herself in danger by associating herself so close to Kate? Had Kate threatened Cameryn at all during this time? Somehow, the answer wasn't as straightforward as it seemed.

Azul and Presea calmly trolled through the halls, but as they reached Cameryn's apartment, they were in for the shock of their lives. Not only was her door unlocked, it wasn't even closed. Sensing danger, Azul and Presea drew their firearms while gently pushing the door open. It replied with a creak as the sliver became wider and wider. "Hello, Cameryn?" Presea quietly called, her heart pounding as she feared for the worst.

Indeed, the apartment was completely empty. There were papers on the living room coffee table, not uncommon for Cameryn as they knew she liked to take her work home with her. But oddly enough, Cameryn's cell phone was also sitting around. It was like Cameryn had just disappeared. "Maybe that's why we called and no one answered," Azul muttered as he tiptoed into the kitchen while Presea went into the bedroom. The ominous silence in the apartment made things very uncomfortable for the two officers as they looked for their friend, fearing that something bad might have happened to her. Just as Presea exited the bedroom, Azul hollered from the kitchen, "I see Cameryn! She's next door in Kate's apartment. It looks like they're just sitting there talking!" Azul shouted.

Presea hustled into Azul's position. From their angle, they could see Cameryn on Kate's living room couch, the twosome seemingly talking peacefully. However, they also saw Kate brandish a packet of white powder, and figured this was the targeted evidence. "Keep watching," Azul muttered into Presea's ear, all the while reaching for his cell. He quickly dialled for Gil's number, his eyes peeled for across the way as the call connected. "Sarge, we're in Cameryn's apartment right now. She's not home, but apparently she's next door with the suspect. They're relatively calm right now, do you want to pursue?"

"No, not yet," Gil replied, the sound of the elevator arriving on the ground floor echoing through the phone. Azul craned his neck, trying to look over the shorter officer standing in front of him while Gil continued, "Keep observing for now. Any sudden moves will jeopardize our position. Besides, Cameryn might be negotiating with her right now, so who knows what will happen?" Azul bit his lower lip as he juggled holding the phone to his ear while getting a good view, hoping Cameryn could hold her own.

But things took a dramatic turn as Kate got emotional at Cameryn. Presea and Azul could see her stand up and wave her arms around, getting almost protective of the bag while Cameryn lifted her hands to reassure her. "Things are getting out of hand," Presea commented, just in time to see Cameryn grip Kate's wrists to pull her back down.

Unfortunately for the secretary, that only got Kate more agitated, as the half-elf not only refused to sit, but flung Cameryn's hands away. "Sarge, Cameryn is being assailed at right now. We got to provide help," Azul reported, "Where are you right now?"

When Gil responded that he was just entering the elevator, Azul and Presea felt they could wait no longer. Drawing their firearms again, they charged out of Cameryn's unit. Hurrying across the hall, they positioned outside of Kate's door as Presea reached for the doorbell. They waited for what seemed like an eternity when voices sounded through the door. Fearing an argument, the two officers lowered their firearms, leaning closer to hear the words being shouted as the door opened, showing Kate's anguished face. "Police, nobody move!" Presea stated, waving a badge, "We have reason to believe that you, Miss Aubrey, have not given an accurate testimony at the station. We have some evidence at hand showing that you might be involved in the case."

But instead of cooperating, Kate was shocked by the actions of Azul and Presea. "Why are you here?" she demanded, in shock and dismay. Her eyes turned to her only friend, Cameryn Lachance, and seethed with anger. "You, you called them about this, didn't you? You wanted to sell me out the entire time, right?" she demanded.

Cameryn tried to wave her hands, citing that it was a misunderstanding, but Kate was already too angry to listen. She stalked up to her dining room and grabbed a small knife. Pointing it at Cameryn, she grabbed her friend and yelled at the police, "The two of you get back. Don't come any closer or she gets it!"

* * *

Does that shock you? What do you think this means? Well, only by reading the Epilogue will you find out what's really going on. Until then, I'm ready to entertain any concerns or whatever you may have. Thanks for reading!


	11. Epilogue: Life Lessons and Belly Buttons

This is it, guys. This is the end of the story. Just want to thank **AccessBlade, Phazon**, and **Fenrir of the Shadows** for reviewing, and we're finally going to wrap this up. As usual, the epilogue is more based on wrapping up the themes of the story, summarizing them and ending then off smoothly. So let's see what lessons we can draw out from here.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. **Mandrakefunnyjuice** owns Robert (Bob) Ross. **Poet Bucky** owns Cabalina and Fil Ashton.** Fenrir of the Shadows **owns Azul Kharlan. **AccessBlade** owns Cameryn Lachance.

* * *

Presea and Azul froze in terror as Kate turned the weapon on their colleague and her best friend. Cameryn shivered in fear as Kate gripped the shoulder with her left hand, all the while pointing the knife at the secretary's face with her right. "Why are you here?" Kate demanded again, glaring at the two officers at the door, "I didn't do anything, so why did you show up? What do you want from me?" Her eyes changed from the usual timid and partly shaded by her glasses to ferocious, nearly bulging out of their sockets as she took her hostage.

Undaunted, Presea and Azul tried to hold their ground. Azul kept peeking over his shoulder, wondering when Gil and the others would exit through the elevator. While they waited, Presea tried to diffuse the situation. "Miss Aubrey, Kate, we have no intention to arrest you. We just have to sort some things out, so that's why we came," she soothed the half-elf in a calm voice, "We're only here to talk, so please let Cameryn go."

Kate's eyes changed from determined to weak, as her entire face collapsed with the cheek muscles all loosening. "I truly didn't want to hurt anyone. I swear I didn't," she blubbered, her grip slightly loosening on Cameryn, "I didn't want my father to harm any more people, so I called him to set the record straight. But when I heard he had sensitive operations and didn't want to talk, I had to intervene for sure." Behind the glasses, Kate's eyes moistened, the liquids reflecting the dim lights in the room back to Presea.

"Wait, that's why you left last night, and I couldn't contact you?" Cameryn demanded. She too could feel the looser grip, and tried to use her eyebrows to signal to Presea to continue being gentle. As Presea and Azul slowly lowered their guns, Cameryn asked, "So what happened when you were there? Did you see Chocolat and Bob?"

That only broke Kate down even more. "Yes, I saw them," she blubbered, her head dipping, "I came in from the staircase away from Bob, and I saw him unconscious, almost lifeless. Chocolat was with my father, and he was pouring something into her mouth and washing it down with a water bottle. I had to stop him, so I rushed in and tried to pull him off. We were jockeying for position, and then we reached the ledge."

Just then, the elevator doors whipped open. Azul raised a hand and slowed down Gil, Cabalina, and Noishe, hoping their presence would not shock Kate into doing more drastic things. Given her sensitive situation, it was best that they didn't comment on any of her words. Kate still had her head down, meaning most likely she still hadn't caught on to their presence, but Azul wasn't intent on making a scene. As he looked back, he could hear Presea ask, "Is that why your father was found dead outside the building?"

Kate's response was somewhere between a sob and a hiccup as her body was shaking uncontrollably. Sensing a weakness, the unit felt it might be the perfect time to strike, to both free the hostage and bring Kate in. But that being said, there was still a distance between them and Cameryn, and the grip wasn't loose enough to let Cameryn escape without arousing suspicion yet. "I didn't know it would happen," Kate whispered, wiping her eyes with her right arm and taking the blade off Cameryn, "All I thought about was to stop him, and not let anyone else be harmed, and then he just tumbled off!"

Seeing the situation, Cameryn decided to use whatever was left of their friendship to slow Kate down. "Nobody is blaming you, Kate," she stated, gently tilting her shoulder back and forth to loosen the grip even more. Kate didn't notice it, but the digits on the joint were loose enough to be shaken away. Stealing a glance at the officers, who seemed prepared to jump the second Cameryn got free, the police secretary continued, "But right now you have to clear up some things. Why did you barge in there yourself? Did you truly believe that was the best solution, and that it could truly save everybody? What about the packet you showed me? Why did you remove it from the crime scene?"

Kate looked up, prompting Cameryn to keep a straight face even though she was a step from freedom. Tears streaks crossed the half-elf's cheeks in random patterns, and her aquamarine hair fluttered across her face as she shot two blood-shot eyes at her friend. "I didn't want those things to harm anyone anymore," she cried, "I just wanted to be away from all this for good. I wanted a new life, and the only way I could get it is to eliminate all that altogether. That's why I asked you to come over, because I wanted you to take it to the police. Once it's in their hands, I can finally be free, that's it."

Kate glanced up, and finally saw Gil, Cabalina, and Noishe standing in the room. Any sense of resistance to police faded away as she realized her chances of getting out of this was zero. "Kate, please, put the knife down," Noishe calmly pleaded, "You don't want more harm, we don't either. So just let it go and let the justice system take over."

"We already have two friends in the hospital, both in comas and barely clinging onto life," Cabalina chimed in, "I once thought I could never redeem myself with the nasty way I treated Bob, and my intention that night was to apologize to him. But now I realize that the only way to move on is to continue doing the best I can to help society. If I can let it go, then so can you. Please, release Cameryn and give us the bag."

"I have no choice!" Kate replied, getting emotional again as her back bent over, trying to hide her tears, "It was either dealing with my father or living my life in secrecy. I can't do anything without the fear of exposing my past to people, so I had to deal with it in some way. Cameryn was the first person I met who actually bothered to understand my situation. She was the first person who was willing to judge me for who I am and not who I'm associated with. And all I ask is for her to help me, isn't that…"

But Kate trailed off, suddenly feeling cold and alone. The ventilation fan clicked on just as she looked up, only to realize that Cameryn already hustled to the other side, to the safety of her unit. "It's still not too late, Kate," Cameryn called, her arms lifted as Cabalina and Noishe checked for injuries, "You can still come back to us and deal with this case together. Give everything up to us, and maybe it'll still be fine."

Upon hearing that, Kate finally lost all will. Her knees finally gave way, buckling down as she collapsed onto the ground. Her arms and hands shook uncontrollably as the metallic blade of the knife hit the ground with a gentle clang. Immediately, Azul moved in to take the knife away while grabbing the evidence from the coffee table. Presea also approached, patting Kate down before putting on the handcuffs. "We're arresting you for the death of Joseph Aubrey and compromising the crime scene. You have the right…"

"I had no choice!" Kate wailed again, completely broken down into tears. She glanced at the group before her as all her past memories rushed back to her. Her rough childhood consisted of the early death of her mother, her father manipulating everyone around them to get what he wanted, and even recently when she moved out. Throughout her entire history, there was only one person who truly cared for her, and it was the strawberry blond police secretary standing near the door. "Cameryn?" she pleaded.

Cameryn looked back at her close friend now being lifted onto her feet. She too was saddened by this unexpected event that made Kate, a wonderful person eager to start anew, a victim of circumstance. "I'll do what I can," Cameryn replied, a set of waterfalls springing from her eyes as well, "I promise you."

Not another word was spoken as Kate was taken into custody, escorted out of the building by Noishe while Cabalina, Pressea and Azul continued collecting evidence. Gil, seeing how Cameryn was just as broken as her half-elf friend, escorted her back to her own unit. "It's best not to think about this for now, alright?" he said soothingly, stroking Cameryn's back as they trudged through the open door, "Get some rest first."

As Cameryn stepped through the door, she glanced back at Gil. Her eyes were now as red as her hair, and tear stains blotted her face, making dark, crater-like marks. "Will Kate be okay?" she sobbed, "Will she really be prosecuted and found guilty?"

Gil pursed his lips, knowing that the issue was out of their hands now. "I can't tell you, because only our justice system can prove her guilt or innocence," he replied, his tone filled with uncertainty, "I certainly hope the best for her, but to be fair, I don't agree with her last remark. When she left, she told everyone she didn't have a choice."

Cameryn looked on as Gil lifted his head. That fiery determination reflecting his steel will returned again as Gil's dark brown eyes flashed uncompromisingly. "Really, Kate always had an option. If she truly wanted no one to be harmed, she could have chosen to report any suspicious activity to the police. If she truly wanted to rid herself of the drugs, she could have chosen to inform you of the events way earlier. If she truly wanted to stand up to her father, she could have chosen to be on the side of the law and helped us in our investigation rather than taking the law into her own hands. She did none of these things, and now she finds herself in the same fate as her father: a potential guilty verdict."

Cameryn gasped, not wanting to even bear the results. Could she have been the one aiding this all along? Could her own actions have harmed Kate even further? "But I didn't want it to end like that," she insisted, "I wanted to help her out, honest!"

Gil nodded sagely. "I understand, but sometimes the wrong thing is done for the right reasons. And only the courts can decide how this one will end." Gil grabbed the doorknob and gently pulled it shut. "I'll leave you alone now. You still have a lot on your mind, but I assure you that we'll do all we can." With that, the door gently clicked shut, leaving the police secretary standing alone in the room. Only the wind whistling of through the open window could be heard as Cameryn became engulfed by the silence.

* * *

"It's a miracle. They're both waking up at the same time!" Noishe's voice echoed through the phone as he informed Gil of Robert and Chocolat. It had been a week since the arrest of Kate and the closing of the case. While the charges had been laid and the final paperwork was finished, Robert and Chocolat still slumbered in their coma. For the longest time, the only thing the unit could do was visit regularly and got updates from the physicians. But today, the most major breakthrough was about to happen.

"But the doctors said that their conditions were difficult to predict, right? Bob and Chocolat both took huge beatings that would take time to heal, so what happened today?" Gil demanded, trying to balance the phone on his shoulder as he pulled his jacket on. Noishe had already informed the other members of their unit, and they were on their way to the hospital as of the spoke. Not wanting to be left behind, Gil hurried his way out.

"Yeah, but there's a sudden improvement of the signs this morning," Noishe replied, the sounds of medical personnel rushing past filling Gil's earpiece, "Chocolat has been excreting many chemicals out her body already, so her progress was pretty evident to begin with. But Bob, despite all his injuries, blood loss, and even broken bones, he's really starting to pull through. That guy's a real survivor, and he's really come a long way. So why don't you come down here and take a look yourself?"

Gil immediately ended the call and grabbed his car keys from the kitchen table. He powered his way to the garage, going as fast as his weak leg would allow. To add to the already-announced good news, Gil's leg also made very good progress, and soon he would be asked to undergo more vigorous physiotherapy to work it back to top condition. It was expected that in a month, he could lose the cane and walk properly again. "Things must be really looking up for all of us," he commented as he hopped into his Audi V8.

He slowly pulled out of the garage, careful not to scrape Lloyd's MINI Cooper, which was in the driveway as Lloyd and Colette cleaned it up. The weather was still quite warm, meaning car washing outdoors was still viable. Lloyd was in a short-sleeved T-shirt and rolled up his pant legs, while Colette had her shirt tied up the way she did back in Altamira, showing her navel and most of her stomach. Adhering to city bylaws, they promised not to use any soaps to wash the car, but they could polish the outside and clean its interior. "So I'll be checking up on Bob and Chocolat," Gil called out the passenger side window, filling them in on their progress, "I'll be gone all afternoon, alright?"

Colette glanced up, her blue eyes twinkled in delight as she heard the news of her friend. "So Chocolat is finally waking up?" she asked, straightening her tied up shirt and leaving some soap suds near her belly button, "How is she doing? Is her mother there?"

"Cacao is there, and we told her everything," Gil replied, remembering a few days ago when Gil informed Cacao of the final arrests. Instead of getting angry at Kate and demanding harshness, Cacao was extremely gracious, opting to forgive Kate and hoped the best for her. "She told me that, as a mother, she understands the frustration and helplessness Kate must have went through with Joseph, and that's why Cacao wished the best for her," Gil concluded, filling in the rest of the story. Turning back to Lloyd and Colette, he told them to watch the house while he was gone. "And make sure to clean up afterwards, alright? Colette, you got soap suds over your belly and shirt, so wipe that off before going into the house," Gil stated, pointing at her abdomen, "And speaking of belly, here comes the fanatic right now. Talk to you two later, alright?"

With that, Gil pulled out of the driveway and sped off. The movement of the Audi away from the scene revealed a familiar silver-haired half-elf bounding up to the teens, a wide grin on his face. "How's it going, you guys?" Genis asked merrily.

Lloyd looked at Genis with a perplexed expression. He knew Genis was an easygoing, happy individual, but today he seemed extra excited. "I assume you know what happened, right?" Lloyd asked, referring to the news that the case was now closed, "So why are you so happy? Is it because you took part in solving it, as my dad said?"

Genis nodded, the grin spreading from ear to ear. "Yup, and it didn't hurt that Officer Kharlan knew Ricardo, so it's all the better given that I got myself another new friend," Genis stated, flashing a thumbs-up, "Life sure is dandy now."

"Speaking of friend, we half-expected you to be at that ranch right now, riding horses or something like that," Lloyd observed, putting away some polish. The hood of the MINI Cooper now shone brightly, reflecting light in all directions as Lloyd made it look brand new again, "Isn't that Bucky girl supposed to let you ride with her?"

Genis shrugged. "She did offer it, but I turned it down," he answered, stuffing his hands into his pant pockets, "I've decided that horseback riding isn't the type of thing for me, so I'll just stick around with you guys, Raine, and Grandma for now. Bucky has her own lifestyle, and so do I. And while I hope to still be friends with her, I think it'll be best that I stick back to what I'm used to for now."

"How's Raine coping with the fact that Kate will no longer be in her class?" Colette asked, grabbing a towel and wiping the soap suds away. Because of the arrest, the University of Iselia suspended Kate's account and classes indefinitely, and every teacher or TA that had ties with Kate were asked to give their input. They heard that Raine had spoken with police a few days before, and even today she was still in shock.

Genis nodded, his smile fading slightly. But his cheerful demeanour could not be dented as he described, "Raine wants some time to recover right now, but she's still in the university doing stuff. Besides, Grandma's always there to help her put things back in perspective, so she'll be fine. Is it true that one of the officers got really upset too?"

Lloyd glanced over, his expression went from neutral to slightly worried as he told Genis about Cameryn and how she did everything to help Kate even though she had no idea of her background. "From what I heard, she's still working as the secretary, but she was intent to help testify for Kate in court," he explained, his tone weaker than when Genis first arrived, "The unit is trying to support her in any way possible, but Dad said it will be something that will take time to heal as well, given how close they were."

"I think we all learned something new with this event," Colette agreed, tossing the towel back onto the vehicle, "We all face difficult choices, and each will affect someone or something. Lloyd and I did help Chocolat, and in our frustration we may have made her more vulnerable. We did go back and help her, but she was already in deep trouble."

"But Chocolat has to realize that she made bad decisions too," Lloyd added with a determined tone, placing his hands on his hips, "She really took her mom's words for granted, leading her to join this cult. She must connect with her mother again, the same way I did when I found out about my dad's undercover work. It won't be easy, but we'll both help her along the way. In the end, I hope she did learn something new."

Genis nodded thoughtfully, digesting each word carefully. True, many people had tough lessons given to them by this event, and his family was no exception. But for Genis personally, something new was not merely a life lesson, but an experience that let him appreciate his life on this planet even more. His joyful smile turning into a mischievous grin, he looked up at his two friends and said, "So, you want to know what else I learned that was new? It has to do with mana manipulation, and it'll change how I fire it now."

Lloyd and Colette both chuckled. "Oh really? Is it that amazing?" Lloyd retorted, his hand reaching for a long, green, tubular object sitting on the concrete ground nearby, "Then let's see how you dodge this!" He snatched the hose off the ground and sprayed water at Genis, soaking the half-elf's shirt and vest, blasting him a half-step back.

But Genis was not worried, as he unzipped his vest and slipped a hand under his shirt, appearing to rub his tummy. Lloyd and Colette could only stare in amazement as the huge water stain on the grey fabric soon disappeared, like it has been soaked in by Genis' own skin. "Now get this," Genis announced, his grin resembling a smirk as he took a couple of steps forward, "Aqua Edge!" With that, he pulled up his shirt and pushed his gut forward, sending two round and flat water blades out his navel and straight at his friends.

The blades sliced into their clothing, causing Lloyd and Colette to buckle back. The knot on Colette's shirt dropped, leaving the bottom of her shirt looking like curtains while Lloyd's shirt had an X sliced through the middle. He slid a finger through the point where the cuts met, and felt it was his own belly button that became the target. "That's the spell?" he asked, looking on with Colette incredulously, "That's what you learned?"

Genis chuckled, pushing his abdomen forward again, showing them the deep crater in the middle. "Yup, don't mess with the belly button!" he exclaimed dipping a finger in a wiggling it a few times, before the threesome all cracked into laughter.

* * *

Thank you so much for joining me, and letting me use your OC's. I really couldn't have done it without you. For now, I'm taking a break from the Tales of Symphonia fandom, just to explore new things. I'll still be around to review fics and such, but no stories in this fandom from me for about a year. I might also include your OC's when I return, but no guarantees. Until then, it's been fun, and I hope to see you guys around!


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